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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

GEORGE M. BOWERS, Coina»{»»ion«* 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE 

OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES 

RIVER, VIRGINIA 



Bureau of Fisheries Document No, 729 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1910 





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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

GEORGE M. BOWERS, Commissioner 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE 
OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES £££ 
RIVER, VIRGINIA 



«*• 



Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 729 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1910 



i**&* 






CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE OYSTER BEDS OF 
JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA 

By H. F. Moore 

Assistant, U. ^Bureau of Fisheries 



Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 729 



PREFACE. 



On February 3, 1909, the Bureau of Fisheries received from Hon. 
Claude A. Swanson, governor of Virginia, a communication inclosing 
the following resolution of the Commissioners of Fisheries of the 
State : 

Resolved, That the governor be requested to enlist the services of the United States 
Bureau of Fisheries in determining and defining the fertile and the barren areas in 
James River, marking and platting same, provided it can be done without expendi- 
ture by the State. 

At the urgent solicitation of Governor Swanson, and upon the con- 
viction that the work would prove of value as a guide for contem- 
plated legislation by the State in respect to the future administration 
of the public oyster grounds, the request for the survey was acceded 
to, the steamer Fish Hawk and civilian assistants were detailed for 
the work, and Dr. H. F. Moore, assistant in the Bureau of Fisheries, 
was directed to assume charge. 

The erection of signals was begun early in July and completed by 
August 7. The actual examination of the oyster beds commenced 
on August 9 and extended, with only such interruptions as were due 
to the weather, to September 14, the survey thus covering the period 
just prior to the opening of the oyster season, when the beds were in 
their optimum condition. Under the terms of the resolution quoted 
above, the Bureau has not felt justified in offering advice as to the 
future treatment of the beds, and the following report is therefore 
confined to statements of fact and a short discussion of their several 
obvious avenues of application. 

George M. Bowers, 

Commissioner. 

United States Bureau of Fisheries, 

Washington, D. C, December 1, 1909. 

3 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Previous surveys 7 

Methods of the present survey 9 

Oyster rocks 13 

Market oyster- area — 

Hollands , 14 

Nansemond Ridge 15 

Larkins 17 

Drum Shoal 18 

Newport News 19 

Cruiser Shoal 20 

Flat Rock and adjacent small beds 21 

High Shoal , 22 

Trout Shoal '. 23 

Dog Shoal 25 

Fishing Point 26 

Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh 27 

Ballards Marsh 28 

Creek Channel 29 

Aaron Shoal 30 

Browns Shoal 31 

Gun _ 33 

Kettle Hole 33 

Thomas Point 35 

Blunt Point 37 

White Shoal 38 

Seed oyster area — 

Jail Island 39 

Wreck Shoal. 41 

Dry Shoals 42 

Point of Shoals 43 

Swash 45 

Mulberry Swash 46 

Marshy Island 47 

Long Shoal 48 

V Rock 50 

Moores 51 

Horsehead 51 

Deepwater Shoals 53 

Rock Wharf Shoals 54 

Beds between Rock Wharf Shoals and Spindle Rock 54 

Spindle 55 

Days Point Shoal 56 

5 



6 CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Public grounds 56 

No. 2 Nansemond County and No. 6 Isle of Wight County 60 

No. 1 Warwick County below Deep Creek 64 

Minor public grounds 67 

No. 1 Warwick County above Deep Creek 67 

No. 1 Isle of Wight County 70 

Summary 72 

Market oyster area 72 

Seed oyster area 77 

Conclusion 80 

Description of charts 83 



CONDITION AND EXTENT OF THE OYSTER BEDS OF 
JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



By H. F. Moore, 
Assistant, U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. 



PREVIOUS SURVEYS. 

Prior to the investigations made by the Bureau of Fisheries in 
July, August, and September, 1909, two surveys of the James River 
oyster beds had been made, neither of which professed to delineate 
the rocks accurately or to furnish detailed information concerning 
their productiveness and condition. The first of these surveys was 
a reconnoissance made in 1878 by Lieut, (then Master) Francis 
Winslow, U. S. Navy, in command of the Coast and Geodetic Survey 
schooner Palinurus. The second was the survey of the public 
grounds by Mr. J. B. Baylor, assistant, Coast and Geodetic Survey, 
under the authority of the State, in 1892 and preceding years. 

As Winslow himself states, his "examination of these beds was a 
very hurried one, and the delineation must be regarded as merely 
approximate, being the result of a hasty reconnoissance." The 
chart published with the report delineates merely the general out- 
lines of the oyster-bearing areas, without attempting to show the 
smaller individual rocks or the density of growth, and the text is of 
very general character. Comparing the chart with the results of 
the recent survey, however, it is evident that Lieutenant Winslow' s 
brief investigation must have shown with considerable accuracy the 
general distribution of oysters in the James and Nansemond rivers 
at that time. The differences between the general results of the two 
surveys are such as could be readily produced by the lapse of time 
and the vicissitudes through which the beds have passed under the 
operation of natural and human agencies. Some areas have become 
depleted through the intensive fishing they have sustained, or from 
the effects of freshets and other physical factors, while on the other 
hand some appear to have had their boundaries extended or have 
become merged with adjacent beds through the operations of the 
tongers. 

7 



8 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

The Baylor survey was of an entirely different character from 
that conducted by Winslow. It was in no sense an examination of 
the oyster beds themselves, but primarily and avowedly a delimitation 
of boundaries which included the recognized or reputed oyster-bear- 
ing bottom, as pointed out by local commissioners or representa- 
tives of each oyster-producing county. It is the writer's understand- 
ing that the county commissioners were, under the state law ordering 
the survey, the final arbiters with whom rested the decision whether 
or not a given area should be included within the boundaries of the 
public grounds. So far as can be learned no examinations whatever 
were made on the beds, the commissioners using their judgment and 
local knowledge in selecting the corners and the engineers with their 
theodolites cutting in the points indicated from stations on the shore. 

Whether or not beds were omitted from the confines of the public 
grounds so located can not now be satisfactorily determined, owing 
to the development of the planting industry, outside of the Baylor 
lines, on all or most of the available bottom. It is evident, however, 
that in the region under discussion no very extensive rocks were dis- 
regarded, and a comparison of the results of the recent survey with 
that of 1892 shows that the Baylor lines, considered as a broad 
scheme of delimitation, conform closely with the general distribution 
of the rocks. At several places, notably on Gun and Kettle Hole 
rocks, parts of the natural beds undoubtedly fell outside of the lines, 
but the writer hazards the suggestion that this may not have been 
through inadvertence but because those parts of the rocks may have 
been already taken up as private holdings. 

It has been claimed, and Mr. Baylor himself has so stated in 
official communications to the State, that a very considerable area 
of barren bottom, amounting to many thousand acres, was included 
within the public grounds. That this should be so, under the sys- 
tem adopted by the local commissioners and under the desire to 
assure the inclusion of all naturally productive bottom, was inevi- 
table. Moreover, the boundaries of the beds are irregular curves, 
while the including surveyed boundaries must be straight lines, for 
purposes of administration and policing as long and unbroken as 
possible. To have excluded the greater part of this barren bottom 
would have necessitated a careful location of the natural rocks and 
the breaking up of the public grounds into a considerable number 
of small or moderate areas instead of segregating them into a few 
large ones. 

To what extent the claim that great areas of barren bottom are 
included in the public grounds is justified will appear from the accom- 
panying charts and in the following descriptions and discussions. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 9 

METHODS OF THE PRESENT SURVEY. 

To furnish authoritative and definite information as to the actual 
extent and condition of the natural rocks and the character of the 
bottoms embraced within the boundaries of the public beds, it was 
necessary to depart widely from the methods of the previous surveys. 

It was decided to confine the investigation wholly to the public 
beds, passing their boundaries only far enough to give assurance 
that the entire area had been covered. Nothing was to be gained 
by an examination of the excluded areas, as it' is now almost impos- 
sible to determine whether natural rocks were omitted from the 
grounds laid out in 1892, and it is too late to correct such omissions 
if they could be determined. For legal purposes, all that is not 
avowedly public ground is barren bottom, and if held under leasehold 
from the State can not be alienated from the possession of the lessees 
as long as the law has been complied with. 

The methods followed have been essentially those pursued in for- 
mer surveys conducted by the Bureau of Fisheries, with the changes 
and improvements dictated by recent experience and the local 
conditions. 

The Coast and Geodetic Survey furnished projections on which 
were platted the triangulation points used in former surveys by that 
bureau. Several of these points, including the light-houses, were 
" recovered," and from them the signals, usually tripods, erected where 
necessary, were cut in and platted by means of the sextant and 
3-arm protractor. This method, while lacking the great precision 
attained by means of the best theodolites and the nice computations 
employed by the Coast Survey in its work, insures an accuracy more 
than sufficient for the purposes of an oyster survey. 

The oyster beds were discovered by soundings with a lead line, 
but principally by means of a length of chain dragged over the bottom 
at the end of a copper wire running from the sounding boat. The 
wire was wound on a reel and its unwound length was adjusted to 
the depth of water and the speed of the launch, so that the chain was 
always on the bottom. Whenever the chain touched a shell or an 
oyster the shock or vibration was transmitted up the wire to the hand 
of a man whose sole duty it was to give heed to such signals and 
report them to the recorder. 

The launches from which the soundings were made were run at a 
speed of between 3 and 4 miles per hour, usually on ranges ashore 
to insure the rectitude of the lines. At intervals of three min- 
utes — in some cases two minutes — the position of the boat was 
determined by two simultaneous sextant observations of the angles 
between a set of three signals, the middle one of which was common 
to the two angles, the position being immediately platted on the 
bo^t sheet. At regular intervals of twenty seconds, as measured by 



10 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

a clock under the observation of the recorder, the leadsman made a 
sounding and reported to the recorder the depth of water and the 
character of the bottom, immediately after which the man at the 
wire reported the character of the chain indications since the last 
sounding — that is, whether they showed barren bottom or dense, 
scattering, or very scattering growths of oysters. 

With the boat running at 3 miles per hour the soundings were 
between 80 and 90 feet apart and, as the speed of the boat was uni- 
form, the location of each was determinable within a yard or two 
by dividing the platted distance between the positions determined 
by the sextant by the number of soundings. The chain, of course, 
gave a continuous indication of the character of the bottom, but the 
record was made at the regular twenty-second intervals observed in 
sounding. 

The chain, while indicating the absence or the relative abundance 
of objects on the bottom, gives no information as to whether they 
are shells or oysters, nor, if the latter, their size and condition. To 
obtain this data it was necessary to supplement the observations 
already described by others more definite in respect to the desired 
particulars. Whenever in the opinion of the officer in charge of the 
sounding boat such information was required, a numbered buoy was 
dropped, the time and number being entered in the sounding book. 
Another launch, following the sounding boat, anchored alongside 
the buoy, and a quantity of the oysters and shells were tonged up, 
separated by sizes, and counted. 

In former surveys made by the writer, in order to arrive at an 
estimate of the density of the oyster growth a definite area, usually 
5 yards, was staked off by means of steel-shod pikes and everything was 
removed from the bottom and counted. This method is accurate, 
but slow and difficult in deep water, and, as it was desirable to make 
a large number of observations, the system developed in the Maryland 
survey was adopted. This consists essentially in making a known 
number of "grabs" with the oyster tongs, exercising care to clean 
the bottom of oysters as thoroughly as possible at each grab. In a 
given depth of water and using the same boat and tongs an oysterman 
will cover practically the same area of the bottom at each grab, but, 
other factors remaining the same, the area of the grab will decrease 
with an increase in the depth. 

Careful measurements were made and tabulated showing the area 
per grab covered by the tonger employed on the work at each foot of 
depth of water and for each pair of tongs and boat used. With this 
data, and knowing the number of "grabs," the number of oysters 
of each size per square yard of bottom was readily obtainable by 
simple calculation. The following example will illustrate the data 
obtained and the form of the record: 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. H 

Department of Commerce and Labor. 



BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Field record of examinations of oyster beds. 

General locality : James River. 

Local name of oyster ground: Between Rock wharf and Spindle rock. 

Date: August 28, 1909. Time: 9.25 a. m. 

Angle: F. 140. Buoy No.: 23. 

Depth: 7 feet. Bottom: Hard. 

Condition of water: Medium clear. 

Density: Temperature: 

Current: Stage of tide: 

Tongman: Lawrence, inflatboat. 

No. grabs made: 8. Tongs: 14 feet. 

Total area covered: 3% square yards .. 

r— lin.: 27. 1 in.— Xin.: 69. 

No. oysters taken: j x ^ _ 4 {n . 1Q 4 ^ . § 

Quantity shells: £ bushel. 

I Spat per square yard: 7.7. 
Culls per square yard: 19.7. 
Counts per square yard: 3.7. 

X in.=cull limit prescribed by law. 

This furnishes an exact statement of the condition of the bed at a 
spot which can be platted on the chart with error in position of not 
more than a few yards. From the data obtained a close estimate 
may be formed of the bushels of oysters and shells per acre in the 
vicinity of the examination and, by multiplying the observations, 
for the bed as a whole. In the course of the survey 590 observations 
were made at various places, principally on the natural rocks, but 
some on the barren bottoms also. 

In former surveys by the Bureau the relative density of the oyster 
growth has been considered solely from the standpoint of the total 
quantity of oysters. That method is satisfactory where the depth 
is fairly uniform throughout the region examined, but was not con- 
sidered accurate enough for the purposes of the present report. 

With a given quantity of oysters per square yard or acre, a bed 
lying in shoal water is more valuable commercially than one in deep 
water, owing to the fact that the labor of the tonger is more efficient 
in the former. As has been pointed out, the area covered by a " grab " 
decreases with an increase in depth, and, moreover, the deeper the 
water the greater is the labor involved in making the "grab" and 
the smaller is the number of grabs which can be made per hour or 
per day. With 14-foot tongs used from a canoe, such as is employed 



12 OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

on the James River, an oysterman can cover twice as much bottom 
per grab in 4 feet as he can in 8 feet, and about two and one-half 
times as much as he can using 20-foot tongs in 16 feet. Using the 
tongs stated, the average tonger observed in Maryland, and the data 
will hold in Virginia, will make about 2.7 grabs per minute in 4 feet, 
2.6 in 8 feet, and 1.8 in 16 feet of water. In other words, if he can 
cover 1 square yard of the bottom in a given time in 16 feet, he can 
cover 1.7 yards in 8 feet, and 3.3 yards in 4 feet of water. 

It is obvious that if a tonger in a given time is to obtain the same 
quantity of oysters in each of these depths, the oyster growth must lie 
on the bottom with a density inversely to the areas stated above. 
The value of a bed, the price per bushel of the oysters being the same, 
depends on the quantity which a man can take in a given time, and 
it therefore happens that a bed in deep water may be valueless com- 
mercially, while another rock, with the same density of growth but 
covered by shoaler water, may be tonged with profit. 

Based on these principles, and taking into consideration the number 
of oysters per bushel on the different beds as determined by actual 
counts, tables were prepared showing the number of oysters per 
square yard for each foot of depth necessary to yield to the tonger 
1 bushel of oysters per day of tonging. From these data the beds 
were divided into areas, according to the number of bushels of 
oysters which they were capable of yielding per day to the tonger, 
based on nine hours of actual tonging and disregarding the time 
occupied in culling. The bottom was divided into 5 categories: 
Barren, on which there were neither shells nor oysters; depleted, on 
which the tonger could take less than 3 bushels of market oysters or 
4 bushels of seed, according to location; very scattering growth, on 
which between 3 and 5 bushels of oysters or 4 and 8 bushels of seed 
could be taken; scattering growth, on which the limits were 5 and 8 
bushels of market oysters or 8 and 12 bushels of seed; and areas of 
dense growth, on which upward of 8 bushels of market oysters or 12 
bushels of seed could be taken per day. 

During the survey 10,440 soundings were taken, and the position of 
the boat was instrumentally determined at 1,369 places. The chain 
was dragged for 226 miles, giving continuous indications of the char- 
acter of the bottom, which were plotted on the chart at 10,440 places. 
The density of oyster growth was determined by the 590 biological 
observations already referred to, and the extent and boundaries 
of the areas as charted were fixed by a combination of these observa- 
tions and the 10,440 records of the continuous chain readings. Dur- 
ing the work the writer was in charge of the sounding boat and in 
constant touch with all operations. The biological observations 
were all under the immediate charge of Mr. T. E. B. Pope, whose 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 13 

experience in such work is such as insured their accuracy both as 
to the area covered by the tonger and the quantity of oysters 
taken. The oysters brought in by the biological party were all 
examined by the author, who has also personally made all of the 
many calculations required and directly supervised the laying off 
of the areas on the charts. The basis for the determination of the 
character of the beds was decided on in advance, but the work of 
the survey was so planned that it was impossible for any member 
of the party to form an opinion as to the conditions found until 
after the field work was completed, and any involuntary prejudice 
was thus eliminated as far as possible. The author himself could 
form but a vague idea of the general results until the charts were 
completed and the report almost written. 

In the following pages the subject is gradually developed from a 
detailed description of the several parts of the individual natural 
rocks to a broad consideration of the market oyster and seed areas 
as a whole) and in every case there is given the principal data on 
which the several statements are based. 

OYSTER ROCKS. 

The term "oyster rock," as used in Virginia and employed in this 
report, is synonymous with natural oyster bed and is to be distin- 
guished from the term "public ground," which is used to designate 
the areas legally embraced within surveyed lines and set apart for 
the use of the public. The public grounds were intended to embrace 
all of the oyster rocks, and usually each includes a number of the 
latter within its confines. 

An oyster rock is usually a more or less definite area of bottom, 
limited by the extent of actual oyster growth. Originally, the bound- 
aries were rather definitely marked and the rocks were separated from 
one another by barren areas, but the operations of oystering have in 
many cases strewn oysters and shells over the surrounding bottom, 
so that in cases the original limits have become obscured and adjacent 
rocks merged. 

On the accompanying chart much of the bottom indicated as 
depleted really represents the areas which have been thus covered 
with scattered oysters and shells, and the term employed indicates 
that oysters and shells are very scarce rather than that they have been 
removed, though the latter is the fact in many cases. The so-called 
" depleted " areas are those on which oysters grow in quantities much 
below those which would make it commercially profitable to tong 
for them. 

The boundaries of the rocks, as shown by the red inclosing lines 
on the charts and as considered in the text, were defined by the 



14 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

results of the chain indications, the methods of obtaining which 
have been before explained. All areas in which shells or oysters 
were encountered are regarded as rocks, but their character, so far 
as productiveness is concerned, was determined by tonging and 
counting the yield in the manner heretofore described. The de- 
pleted areas, except where it is shown that they contain a reasonably 
heavy growth of young, may be regarded as worthless from the 
viewpoint of the tonger; the areas of very scattering growth are of 
doubtful value except where a heavy growth of young oysters indi- 
cates potential improvement, while the areas of scattering and dense 
growth can be regarded as really productive natural rocks. The 
barren bottom, which is shown on the chart as an unshaded area 
outside of the red lines, is that on which neither oysters nor shells 
were found. A few small unshaded areas inclosed by red lines indi- 
cate beds the exact nature of which was not accurately determined. 

An attempt is made in this report to designate the rocks by the 
names employed by the oystermen, so far as these could be ascer- 
tained. In several cases, as for instance "Fishing Point Kocks" 
and "Marshy Island Rock," names have been coined to serve the 
purposes of reference and designation. The exact extent of Point 
of Shoals Rock was not definitely ascertained, and as shown on the 
chart it may not accord with the usage of the oystermen. There 
was also some doubt about the location of Kettle Hole and Thomas 
Point Rocks, but, as the names used in the text are clearly shown 
on the charts, there can be no confusion in the references. In a 
number of cases where the several beds were more or less continuous 
with one another arbitrary boundaries have been adopted, but,- as 
these usually pass through depleted areas and as in a later discus- 
sion the rocks are considered as a whole in their grouping in the 
public beds, the necessity for this treatment causes no loss in the 
final accuracy or exactitude. 

In the following pages the rocks are considered in detail. 

MARKET OYSTER AREA. 
HOLLANDS ROCK. 

This was intended to be included by the Baylor survey in Public 
Ground No. "3, Nansemond County, though it is stated that a mistake 
was made by which it was omitted. The area, 22 acres, which is 
described under this name included the only bottom within the public 
ground which gave any indication of being an oyster bed, though the 
examination showed it to be depleted. It is completely surrounded 
by planted beds. 

The results of the examination were as follows : 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details of Examination of Hollands Rock. 



15 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity of 
oysters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


4 


Aug. 9, 1909 
Aug. 11,1909 


Feet. 
11.0 

9.5 








0.4 



1.8 



Bush. 
3 



Bush. 
29 



Bush. 
32 


30 


do 






NANSEMOND RIDGE ROCK. 

This is the principal and only productive bed in Nansemond 
River. It lies mainly on and about a shoal extending through the 
middle of the river from Cedar Point almost to the middle of James 
River, opposite Newport News. At its northern end it is connected, 
by an unproductive, practically barren area, with three smaller rocks 
hereafter described. Its area, density of oyster growth, and con- 
tents are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Nansemond Ridge Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content 


Seed. 


Market. 


of market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
85 
446 
294 

782 


Bushels. 
148 
133 
34 
35 


Bushels. 
93 
60 
37 
11 


Bushels. 
7,905 
26, 760 






10,878 




8,602 




Total 


1,607 






54, 145 









The market oysters on this bed are large, averaging at the time 
of the survey a few over 300 per bushel. They are said to attain 
a good condition, particularly late in the season, and are used mainly 
by shucking houses. The small oysters ran about 750 per bushel. 

The broadest, largest, and most productive part of the bed stretches 
northward from opposite Pig Point on the west side of the channel. 
It is estimated that this portion has an area of about 1,156 acres, of 
which 69 acres bear a dense growth of market oysters, 386 acres a 
scattering growth, 201 acres a very scattering growth, and 500 acres 
are depleted. The latter does not include the barren bottom embraced 
between the edges of the bed and the lines of the Baylor survey. It 
is further estimated that on the dense bottom a man tonging exclu- 
sively could take in a day about 10 bushels of market oysters, on the 
scattering area about 6 bushels, on the very scattering part about 3| 
bushels, while on the depleted area he could not take an average of 
over 1 bushel. These estimates are for the beginning of the season, 
20201—10 2 



16 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

and any considerable tonging of the beds would soon materially reduce 
the average catch per day. 

In the dense and scattering parts of this portion of the bed, especially 
near the crest of the ridge, there is a growth of small oysters so dense 
that an average of upward of 12 bushels could be tonged per day, 
and these areas can undoubtedly be regarded as both presently and 
prospectively productive. There is also a dense growth of young 
oysters on the inner parts of the depleted area opposite Nansemond 
River Light. On the areas of very scattering growth the small oysters 
are in even smaller quantity than the market oysters, but in places 
there are clean shells in sufficient quantity to indicate that under 
proper conditions a good set might occur and the bottom become 
fairly productive. 

Above a line drawn between Pig Point and Barrel Point the bed 
may be divided into two parts, one a tail-like continuation of the 
main bed running along the eastern edge of the channel and the other 
a detached portion lying on a shoal west of the channel, north of Lar- 
kins Rock. The former has 126 acres of depleted bottom and two 
small patches, one of scattering growth covering about 22 acres and 
the other of about 41 acres, on which the oysters are very scattering. 
The detached area covers about 260 acres, of which 15 are dense, 39 
scattering, 51 very scattering, and 155 depleted. On the areas of 
dense and scattering growths of market oysters there is a heavy 
growth of culls, but the scattering and depleted areas are generally 
impoverished of young. 

On the two areas just described as lying above a line between Pig 
and Barrel points it is estimated that there are 15 acres of dense growth 
on which a man could tong an average of about 8 barrels of market 
oysters per day, 61 acres on which he could average about 5 bushels, 
92 acres of very scattering growth where he could take about 4 bushels 
per day, and 281 acres of depleted bottom which will not yield 1 
bushel per day. On the depleted area there are few young oysters 
and practically no shells. The barren bottom lying within this part 
of the Baylor survey, on which oysters do not now grow and appar- 
ently never have grown in marketable quantities, nearly equals all 
of the foregoing combined, covering about 430 acres. The barren 
and depleted bottom together aggregate about 711 acres, while all of 
the bottom which is capable of yielding even as little as 3 bushels per 
day, exclusive of the time consumed in culling, covers about 168 acres. 
In other words, at least 80 per cent of the area is at present commer- 
cially worthless. 

The observations, in addition to the sounding and chain investi- 
gations, on which the foregoing is based, are as follows : 



.OYSTER BEDS OP JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details of Examination op Nansemond Ridge Rocks. 



17 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


1 


Aug. 9,1909 
Sept. 13,1909 
Sept. 14,1909 
Aug. 10,1909 

do 

Aug. 12,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 13,1909 
Sept. 14, 1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 9,1909 
Aug. 10,1909 
Aug. 11,1909 
Aug. 12,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 13,1909 
Aug. 9,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 10,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 11,1909 
Aug. 12,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Sept. 13,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 14,1909 

do 

do 

do....... 

.....do 


Feet. 
13.0 
6.5 
6.5 
6.0 
11.5 
10.5 
7.5 
10.5 
6.5 
7.5 
8.0 
, 11.0 
6.0 
7.5 
8.5 
10.0 
9.0 
8.5 
9.5 
10.0 
10.5 
6.0 
12.0 
9.0 
8.0 
8.5 
7.0 
7.5 
12.5 
10.0 
10.5 
9.0 
10.0 
10.0 
7.0 
6.5 
7.5 
9.5 
9.0 
7.0 
10.5 
11.0 




6.0 

4.7 

3.9 

1.7 

.2 

.6 

4.8 

.2 

2.3 

1.8 

45.0 

4.0 

5.3 

5.3 

3.4 

2.9 

.4 

1.6 

.9 

.2 

.8 

.0 

.0 

3.5 

8.4 

1.8 

2.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.5 

.7 

.4 

.7 

.2 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

.0 

2.6 

.0 

.0 


5.1 

27.7 

21.2 

13.4 

.0 

12.4 

13.3 

.6 

11.6 

9.7 

26.6 

16.3 

27.3 

25.6 

15.7 

9.3 

2.1 

10.9 

3.8 

.4 

2.4 

.8 

.0 

20.0 

23.9 

13.3 

4.5 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.8 

.9 

.7 

3.5 

.7 

.0 

2.9 

.0 

.0 

10.0 

.0 

.0 


8.2 

4.7 

4.4 

2.7 

4.0 

4.6 

3.6 

4.5 

2.3 

3.1 

3.9 

4.0 

3.5 

4.2 

4.9 

1.8 

2.7 

2.8 

2.2 

2.3 

3.1 

1.4 

.9 

.9 

.6 

.5 

.9 

.3 

.4 

.0 

1.3 

1.3 

1.2 

1.9 

1.1 

.2 

.5 

.0 

.0 

1.1 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

72 

209 

163 

98 

1 

85 

111 

5 

90 

75 

466 

132 

212 

201 

124 

79 

16 

81 

31 

4 

21 

5 



153 

210 

98 

43 







8 

10 

7 

27 
6 

27 


82 




Bush. 

132 

76 

71 

43 

64 

74 

58 

72 

37 

50 

63 

64 

56 

68 

79 

29 

43 

45 

35 

37 

50 

23 

15 

15 

10 

8 

14 

5 

6 



21 

21 

19 

31 

18 

3 

8 





18 






Bush. 
204 


549 


.do 


285 


582 


...do 


234 


15 




141 


18 


...do 


65 


33 


do 


159 


34 


do 


169 


42 
550 


do 

do 


77 
127 


576 


do 


125 


577 


do 


529 


578 
579 


do 

do 


196 

268 


580 

581 

7 

21 


do 

do 

Very scattering 

. ..do 


269 

203 

108 

59 


26 


..do 


126 


35 


do 


66 


39 


....do 


41 


43 


...do 


71 


542 


do 


25 


2 




15 


5 


....do 


168 


8 


..do 


220 


11 


do 


106 


12 


...do 


57 


13 


...do 


5 


16 
25 


do 

do 


6 



36 


...do 


29 


38 


..do 


31 


40 


....do 


26 


41 


...do 


58 


547 


..do 


24 


548 


do 


3 


551 


do 


35 


574 
575 


do 

do 






583 


do 


100 


584 


...do 





587 


do... 












LARKINS ROCK. 

This is a small bed in Nansemond River at the extreme southwest 
corner of Public Ground No. 2. As developed by the survey it has 
an area of about 39 acres and a depth varying from 4J to 8 feet at 
mean-low water. It is stated that the product of this bed has been in 
demand by shucking houses, the size and quality being generally 
good and the condition fat, especially early in spring. The market 
oysters found by the survey averaged between 300 and 350 to the 
bushel and the small oysters about 750 per bushel. 

The bed at present bears market oysters at the average density of 
about 5 bushels per acre, though in spots the production is as high as 
18 bushels. The young growth has an average density of about 10 
bushels and a maximum of 31 bushels per acre. 

At the present time this bed must be regarded as depleted, as at 
none of the, spots examined could a man tong more than 2 bushels of 
oysters per day, and the average yield, taking the bed as a whole, 



18 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



would be hardly more than one-half bushel per day. The young 
growth is sparse and the shells few. The bed bears the aspect of hav- 
ing been carried off bodily for planting purposes, a depredation to 
which its location makes it susceptible. The results of detailed ex- 
aminations are as follows : 

Details of Examination op Larkins Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


20 


Aug. 10,1909 
Aug. 11,1909 

do 

Sept. 13, 1909 

do 

do 


Feet. 
8.5 
7.5 
6.5 
6.5 
7.0 
6.5 




0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.2 
.0 


0.0 
.0 

3.5 
.0 

2.7 
.6 


0.0 
.0 
.1 
.0 

1.1 
.6 


Bush. 




23 


31 

4 


Bush. 


2 

18 
10 


Bush. 



27 


do 





28 


do 


25 


544 
545 
546 


do 

do 

..do 




49 
14 









DRUM SHOAL ROCK. 

This is a small bed located at the northwest corner of Public Ground 
No. 2 in Nansemond County. Its area, density of oyster growth, 
and estimated contents are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Drum Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
19 
14 
95 


Bushels. 
92 
61 
62 


Bushels. 
50 
39 
29 


Bushels. 
950 




546 




2,755 




Total 


128 






4,251 











This bed was doubtless originally restricted to the area of the 
shoal which is now covered by the scattering and very scattering 
growth, but oysters and shells have become scattered over the sur- 
rounding bottom and it is now connected, by means of a depleted 
area, with Nansemond Ridge Rock on the south and Newport News 
Rock on the west. 

The scattering growth lies in a depth of from 6 to 8 feet at mean 
low water and the market oysters grow in such quantity that a 
tonger of average ability can take about 5 bushels per day. The 
very scattering growth is at the eastern side of the shoal and has 
oysters in sufficient numbers to yield about 3% bushels per day. 
The density of growth shown for the depleted area in the table pro- 
duced above is in excess of the actual conditions, as the examina- 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



19 



tions on which, it was based were taken in close proximity to the edge 
of the shoal, while the more distant bottom is more denuded. The 
growth of young on the productive part of the rock is fair, being 
sufficient to yield about 9 bushels per day on the scattered area and 
about 6 bushels on the very scattered area and about the edges of 
the shoal. 

Following is the record of observations on this bed: 

Details op Examination of Drum Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


, Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


585 


Sept. 14,1909 
do 

Aug. 12,1909 
do 


Feet. 
8.0 
9.0 
10.5 

8.5 




2.6 

1.5 

.7 

.9 


11.6 
7.9 
6.1 

12.0 


3.1 

2.4 
1.9 
1.7 


Bush. 
92 
61 

44 
84 


Bush. 
50 
39 
31 

27 


Bush. 
142 


586 
44 


Very scattering 


100 
75 


45 


do 


111 



NEWPORT NEWS ROOK. 

This lies in the overlapping portions of Public Grounds No. 2, 
Nansemond County, and No. 6, Isle of Wight County, north of 
Nansemond Ridge, and between Drum Shoal on the east and Cruiser 
Rock on the west. Its estimated area, density of growth, and 
contents are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Newport News Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 

oysters. 




Acres. 

4 

27 

12 

129 


Bushds. 
93 
75 
83 
34 


Bushels. 
108 
63 
35 
27 


Bushels. 
432 




1,701 




420 




3,483 






Total 


172 






6,036 









The rock in reality consists of several shoal spots separated by 
areas of depleted bottom in deeper water. The dense area is a small 
spot lying by itself in about 8 feet of water at low tide, and it bears 
market oysters in sufficient quantity to yield to the tonger about 
9 bushels per day, and the young growth is in nearly the same 
quantity. The scattered and very scattered growth lies on Cruiser 
Shoal proper, the former being sufficiently productive to yield about 
6 bushels and the latter about 3 bushels per day. On both of these 
areas there is a fair growth of young, sufficient to yield about 6 
bushels per day. 



20 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



At the eastern edge of the rock, as defined on the chart, there is a 
dense growth, not shown, which lies just outside of the Baylor line, 
and running south from this is a growth of young oysters on the 
so-called depleted bottom sufficient to yield about 4 bushels per day. 
The depleted bottom on the whole will yield about 2 bushels of 
market oysters per day and about the same quantity of young. 

The following are the results of examinations on this rock: 

Details of Examination of Newport News Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


52 


Aug. 13,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 11,1909 
Aug. 12,1909 
Aug. 13,1909 


Feet. 

12.0 
9.0 

11.0 

10.0 
9.5 
9.5 

10.0 




0.7 
1.1 
1.8 
1.1 
3.1 
.7 
1.1 


13.6 
9.8 
10.2 
11.6 
5.1 
4.9 
1.1 


6.7 
4.7 
3.1 
2.2 
1.6 
1.8 
1.6 


Bush. 
93 
71 
78 
83 
53 
36 
14 


Bush. 
108 
76 
50 
35 
26 
30 
26 


Bush. 
201 


53 




147 


55 
56 
23 


do 

Very scattering 


128 
118 
79 


46 
54 


do 

do 


66 

40 



CRUISER SHOAL ROCK. 

This rock lies on and about the shoal that gives it its name, mainly 
in Public Ground No. 6, Warwick County, but partly in the area 
common to that ground and No. 2, Nansemond County. Its area 
and condition are shown in the following table : 

Oyster Growth on Cruiser Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
27 
19 
26 
32 


Bushels. 

140 

47 

51 

66 


Bushels. 

156 

53 

28 
9 


Bushels. 
4,212 


Scattering 


1,007 




728 




288 






Total 


104 






6,235 











The dense and scattered areas follow the line of a very shallow 
ridge which forms the backbone of the shoal, the former being capa- 
ble of yielding from 10 to 20 bushels of oysters per day and the 
latter about 5. The area of very scattering growth lies on each side 
of the more prolific areas and is capable of yielding about 3 bushels 
of market oysters per day's tonging. The depleted area will yield 
an average of not over 1 bushel of market oysters per day, and the 
parts more distant from the ridge are practically bare. Close to the 
ridge, even on some of the bottom depleted of market oysters, the 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



21 



growth of young is good enough to yield an average of about 15 
bushels per day to the tonger; but on the very scattering and 
depleted areas further removed from the ridge the young growth is 
sparse. 

The following table shows the results of the examinations made 
on this bed : 

Details of Examination op Cruiser Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


58 


Aug. 13,1909 
Sept. 14, 1909 
Aug. 12,1909 
do 

Aug. 13,1909 
Aug. 12,1909 
Aug. 13,1909 
Sept. 14, 1909 


Feet. 

10.5 
8.5 
9.0 

11.0 
7.5 
9.0 

13.0 
6.0 




4.0 

1.5 
.3 
.2 

1.8 
.5 
.0 

5.3 


21.0 

17.0 

7.0 

.4 

13.4 

4.5 

.0 

20.2 


7.3 

12.1 

3.3 

2.0 

1.6 

.7 

.0 

.9 


Bush. 

162 

120 

47 

4 

99 

32 



166 


Bush. 

117 

195 

53 

32 

25 

11 



15 


Bush. 
279 


589 
51 
50 
57 


do 

Scattering 

Very scattering 

do 


315 
100 
36 
124 


47 




43 


59 
590 


do 

do 



181 



FLAT ROCK AND ADJACENT SMALL BEDS. 

Flat Rock is a small bed bearing a dense growth of market oysters 
lying in the southeast corner of Public Ground No. 6, Warwick County. 
The examination of this rock was not satisfactory, as owing to an 
error in platting in the field certain positions supposed to be on the 
bed proved to be on adjacent planted beds. The single examination, 
in connection with traversing lines of chain readings, indicates a 
growth over the entire area which will yield to the tonger an average 
of about 9 bushels of market oysters per day. There were practically 
no small oysters or shells, and there was some reason to believe that 
the place had been planted, though it was fully 200 yards inside of the 
Baylor lines. 

North of Flat Rock is a small depleted area, covering about 7 acres, 
on which there are about 26 bushels of market oysters and 16 bushels 
of young oysters per acre, and on which it is computed that a tonger 
could take not over 2 bushels of oysters per day. 

West of Cruiser Rock is another unnamed bed of very scattering 
oysters. Its area is about 5 acres, with an average of 42 bushels of 
market oysters and 55 bushels of seed oysters per acre, and it is esti- 
mated that a tonger could take about 3£ bushels of oysters per day. 

Northwest of Flat Rock, at intervals of about 400 yards, are two 
small beds where the' water does not shoal, on which no deter- 
minations were made except with the chain. The indications are of 
very scattering growths. The areas are about 5 and 2 acres, respec- 
tively. The data relating to the several beds examined are as follows: 



22 



OYSTER BEDS OP JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



Details of Examination op Flat Rock and Small Beds Between Nansemond 
Ridge and Fishing Point. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


31 


Aug. 11,1909 
Aug. 12,1909 
Aug. 11,1909 


Feet. 
10.5 
10.0 
10.5 




0.2 
1.8 
.0 


0.2 
6.7 
2.4 


6.7 
2.6 
1.6 


Bush. 

3 

55 

16 


Bush. 
108 

42 
26 


Bush. 
Ill 


48 
32 


Very scattering 


97 
42 









HIGH SHOAL ROCK. 

High Shoal Rock is conspicuous from its position, near the middle 
of James River, surrounding a shoal of sand and broken shells bare 
at practically all times. The highest part of the shoal is near the 
channel, from which it extends shoreward toward Fishing Point. 
The bed, including the depleted parts, is quadrangular in shape, 
with its more productive areas extending at right angles to the shores 
along its major diameter. Its extent and density of growth are as 
follows : 

Oyster Growth on High Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
24 
13 
24 
95 


Bushels. 

134 

127 

58 

8 


Bushels. 

90 

48 

25 

8i 


Bushels. 
2; 160 




624 




600 




807 






Total 


156 




4,191 




1 





The dense area extends along practically the entire length of the 
shoal, as a narrow strip on both sides but especially to the eastward 
of the highest ridge. The market oysters are somewhat smaller 
than those in water a little deeper, but on the bed as a whole they 
were found to average about 400 to the bushel. It is estimated that 
on this area a tonger could take about 10 bushels of oysters per day. 

The area of scattering growth forms a strip on the southern side of 
the bed along the edge of a deep swash channel which separates it 
from one of the neighboring Fishing Point Rocks. Market oysters 
are produced in sufficient abundance to yield the tonger about 6£ 
bushels per day. The very scattering area lies to the eastward of the 
dense area and north of the scattering, and produces oysters suffi- 
cient to furnish the tonger about 3 to 3 J bushels per day. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



23 



The depleted area, which constitutes the major portion of the bed 
as delineated on the chart, is principally on the western or upstream 
side, though a strip averaging about 100 yards in width extends 
around the outer end of the shoal and along its entire eastern side. 
This area will nowhere yield to the tonger more than about 2\ 
bushels of oysters per day, and the average yield of all places exam- 
ined would not be over 1 bushel. 

The growth of young oysters on the areas charted as dense and 
scattering and on the very scattering part closer to the ridge is pro- 
lific enough to yield a tonger from 8 to 25 bushels per day, the average 
of all places examined being about 17 bushels. Clean shells were 
abundant on the three productive areas and in the depleted area 
close to the ridge. 

The data on which the foregoing statements are based is as follows : 

Details of Examination of High Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


68 


Aug. 13,1909 
do 

Sept. 7,1909 
do 

Aug. 13,1909 

Sept. 8,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 13,1909 

do 

do....... 

do 

Sept. 7,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 8,1909 

do 

do 


Feet. 
7.0 
7.5 
5.5 
6.0 
6.0 
6.0 
8.0 
3.5 
14.5 
12.5 
9.0 
7.5 
4.0 
6.0 
6.5 
7.5 
9.5 
7.0 




3.6 

10.0 

3.2 

3.2 

3.4 

2.9 

.0 

7.6 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.4 

2.4 

1.1 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


10.9 

17.0 

12.4 

22.5 

26.4 

6.5 

.3 

10.1 

.0 

.2 

.0 

2.2 

1.8 

. -1.4 

1.0 

.2 

1.3 

.0 


7.8 

10.3 

2.6 

8.4 

4.1 

3.9 

2.9 

1.3 



1.8 

.0 

1.8 

.2 

1.7 

1.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

94 

175 

101 

167 

194 

61 

2 

115 



1 



17 

27 

16 

6 

1 

8 




Bush. 

94 

125 

32 

102 

50 

47 

35 

16 



22 



22 

2 

20 

20 








Bush. 
188 


70 
473 
474 


do 

do 

do 


300 
132 
269 


67 




244 


478 


do 


108 


476 

477 


Very scattering 

do 


37 
131 


63 







64 
69 
71 


do 

do 

do 


23 



39 


470 


do 


29 


471 
472 


do 

do 


36 
26 


479 
480 
481 


do 

do 

do 


1 
8 












TROUT SHOAL ROCK. 

This bed occupies the southeastern part of Naseway Shoal. In 
its depleted area it is continuous with Dog Shoal Rock, which occu- 
pies the upper part of the same shoal, but is separated from the adja- 
cent Fishing Point and High Shoal Rocks'by swash channels in which 
there is an abrupt deepening of the water. The depth ranges from 
low-water mark to 10 or 11 feet, the greater depths being found in a 
pocket of deep water which extends far into Naseway shoal from the 
westward. 



24 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The extent and productiveness of the bed are shown in the following 

table : 

Oyster Growth on Trout Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
25 
14 
90 


Bushels. 
165 
118 
21 


Bushels. 

44 

30 

8 


Bushels. 
1,100 




420 




720 






Total 


129 


1 


2,240 







There is no dense growth within the meaning of the definition 
adopted in this report— that is>, bottom on which 8 or more bushels 
of market oysters ,may be tonged by a man working 9 hours. There 
are two areas of scattering growth which lie as strips along the line 
of a shoal largely exposed at low water. These areas are sufficiently 
productive to yield from 5 to 10 bushels of market oysters per day 
to the tonger, the average being about 7 bushels. 

The only other productive bottom is a very scattering area occu- 
pying the central and eastern portion of the rock, from the ridge to 
the deep water lying between this shoal and High Shoal. On this 
area a tonger can average a little over 3 bushels of oysters per day. 
Depleted areas lie on each side of the shoal, that on the western side 
being more extensive and continuous with the depleted area of Dog 
Shoal rock. On these areas a tonger could take hardly a bushel of 
market oysters per day, although there are spots a little more pro- 
ductive. On the scattering and very scattering areas of market 
oysters the young growth is prolific, on the former being sufficient 
to yield to the tonger an average of about 26 bushels per day and on 
the latter about 16 bushels. On both of these areas there is an 
abundance of clean shells suitable for taking a set of spat, but the 
depleted areas have comparatively few shells and young oysters. 

The following observations were made on this rock : 

Details op Examination op Trout Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


76 


Aug. 13,1909 
Aug. 14,1909 
Sept. 8,1909 

do 

Aug. 13,1909 
Aug. 14,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 13,1909 
Sept. 8,1909 

do 

do 


Feet. 
6.5 
4.0 
4.5 
6.5 
6.0 
5.0 
10.0 
9.5 
11.5 
11.0 
5.5 
6.5 




7.7 

1.0 

4.7 

4.2 

4.3 

.8 

.4 

.0 

.4 

.7 

1.6 

.0 


32.3 

16.1 

29.1 

21.6 

18.3 

25. « 

18.7 

4.8 

2.1 

2.3 

6.1 

.0 


4.0 

2.4 

4.9 

3.4 

2.0 

1.8 

3.3 

2.8 

1.7 

.3 

.6 

.0 


Bush. 

260 

111 

220 

168 

147 

171 

124 

31 

16 

19 

50 




Bush. 

48 

29 

59 

41 

24 

22 

40 

34 

21 

4 

7 




Bush. 
308 


105 

482 
488 

75 
106 
107 
108 

72 


do 

do 

do 

Very scattering 

do 

do 

do 


140 
279 
209 
171 
193 
164 
65 
37 


483 
484 
487 


do 

do 

do 


23 
57 




OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



25 



DOG SHOAL ROCK. 

This bed occupies the northwestern or upstream part of Naseway 
Shoal. The rocks are in reality two, separated by the tongue of 
deeper water which makes into Naseway Shoal from the west and 
extends well toward the ridge of Trout Shoal. 

The larger rock is hook shaped and contains two areas of dense 
growth and a long strip of very scattering oysters, both following 
the line of a shell ridge bare in parts at low water. The smaller area 
is a U-shaped ridge of scattering oysters lying between the deeper 
water just mentioned and the swash channel, which separates it from 
the adjacent Fishing Point rock. 

The following table shows the area, density of growth, and esti- 
mated oyster content of the rock : 

Oyster Growth on Dog Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




A cres. 
16 
13 
35 

118 


Bushels. 
155 
153 

22 
41 


Bushels. 
104 
39 
27 
12 


Bushels. 
1,664 




507 




945 




1,416 






Total 


182 






4,532 









The dense areas produce market oysters in sufficient quantity to 
yield the tonger an average of about 12 bushels per day, the scattering 
area will yield about 6 bushels, and the very scattering about 3 
bushels. On the depleted area the yield would be at no place more 
than about 2 or 2\ bushels of marketable stock, and the average at 
all places examined was about 1 bushel. 

The growth of young oysters on this rock is prolific, the density on 
the dense and scattering areas of market oysters being sufficient to 
yield the tonger an average of about 23 bushels per day. On the 
area of very scattering growth the yield should be about 3 bushels of 
young per day and on the depleted area about 4 bushels. The 
average of the latter is brought up by the very dense growth of 
young found in places close to the exposed ridge, where the quantity 
of market oysters was negligible. Over all of the area shown on the 
chart as depleted, excepting close to the productive areas, both clean 
shells and young were practically absent. The market oysters on 
this rock, like those on Trout Shoal and High Shoal, are compara- 
tively small, averaging a little in excess of 400 per bushel. 

The data on which the foregoing description is based are as fol- 
lows: 



26 



OYSTER BEDS OP JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details of Examination of Dog Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


79 


Aug. 13,1909 
Aug. 14,1909 

do 

Sept. 8,1909 

do 

Aug. 14,1909 
Sept. 3,1909 
Aug. 13,1909 
Sept. 8,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 13,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 14,1909 
Sept. 8,1909 

do 

do 

.....do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
7.0 
5.5 
5.5 
6.0 
9.5 
4.5 
6.0 
4.0 
8.0 
8.5 
7.0 
6.5 
7.5 
5.5 
9.0 
10.0 
11.5 
6.5 
8.5 
7.0 
6.5 
6.5 




10.2 

3.7 

4.2 

7.4 

.0 

1.2 

9.2 

2.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.6 

4.1 

6.4 

.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


30.3 

21.0 

21.2 

21.3 

.0 

15.2 

21.7 

3.2 

4.5 

2.0 

.0 

3.0 

11.0 

42.1 

.0 

.3 

.3 

.0 

.0 

.3 

.3 

.0 


9.1 

6.0 

3.0 

16.0 

9.0 

2.4. 

4.1 

1.0 

2.7 

3.0 

2.1 

2.4 

1.6 

1.3 

2.3 

.7 

2.3 

.0 

1.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

263 

160 

165 

187 



106 

201 

36 

29 

13 



23 

98 

302 

2 

2 

2 





2 

2 




Bush. 

110 

73 

36 

194 

109 

29 

49 

12 

33 

36 

25 

29 

19 

16 

28 

8 

28 



21 








Bush. 
373 


103 
104 


do 

do 


233 
201 


491 
493 


do 

. .do 


381 
109 


102 




135 


465 


do 


250 


78 
486 


Very scattering.. . 
.do 


48 
62 


492 


do 


49 


494 


do 


25 


496 

77 


do 


53 

117 


82 


.do 


318 


83 


...do 


30 


101 

485 
487 
490 


do 

do 

do 

...do 


10 

30 



21 


495 
500 


do 

do 


2 

2 


501 


....do 












FISHING POINT ROCKS. 

These are two beds of considerable extent lying between High 
Shoal and Naseway Shoal and Fishing Point. The names by which 
they are known to the oystermen were not learned. One of these 
beds, embracing scattered and very scattered areas, lies between 
High Shoal and the Baylor line, almost surrounded by deeper water; 
the other, which includes dense, scattered, and depleted areas, lies 
along the Baylor line inside of Naseway Shoal, from which it is sepa- 
rated by a channel carrying from 8 to 10 feet at low water. 

The statistics of the rocks are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Fishing Point Rocks. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
45 
77 
47 
90 


Bushels. 
185 
178 
70 
30 


Bushels. 
119 
82 
44 
19 


Bushels. 
5,355 
6,314 
2,068 
1,710 










Total 


259 






15,447 









It is estimated that on the dense area a tonger could take an average 
of 10 or 11 bushels of market oysters per day, and on the scattering 
area about 7 bushels. On the very scattering area the water is rather 
deep, the beds in this vicinity ranging from about 12 to 22 feet at low 
water, and although the density of growth is fair as compared with 
other beds described, this reduces the probable yield to the tonger to 
an average of between 3 and 4 bushels per day. On the depleted 



OYSTEK BEDS OE JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



27 



area the probable average yield is estimated at between 1 J and 2 
bushels per day of tonging. On the area of scattering growth on the 
bed inside of High Shoal young growth is almost absent, giving the 
bottom the appearance of having been planted. On the very scat- 
tering area in the same bed the quantity of young is sufficient to 
yield about 6 bushels per day per tonger. 

On the dense and scattering areas of the other bed there is a dense 
growth of young oysters, sufficient to yield on the former about 18 
bushels and on the latter about 13 bushels per day. On the depleted 
bottom as a whole it would probably be impossible to take more 
than 3 bushels of young per day, though there are spots where the 
yield might be double that amount. 

The following results were obtained from examinations: 

Details of Examination of Fishing Point Rocks. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


466 


Sept. 3,1909 
do 

Aug. 13,1909 

Sept. 3,1909 
do 

Aug. 13,1909 

....Tdo 

do 

Aug. 14.1909 
do ... 


Feet. 
8.0 
8.0 

14.0 
9.0 
9.5 

13.0 
8.5 

10.0 
9.0 
8.0 




3.8 
1.2 

.0 

6.2 

2.5 

4.0 

2.6 

.0 

.3 

.3 


27.4 

24.7 

.3 

39.7 

18.3 

6.8 

6.9 

1.3 

7.3 

.3 


8.5 
11.2 
6.7 
6.1 
7.5 
3.6 
2.0 
.7 
2.4 
1.2 


Bush. 

203 

168 

2 

298 

135 

' 70 

62 

8 

49 

4 


Bush. 
103 
135 
81 
74 
91 
44 
24 
8 
29 
14 


Bush. 
306 


467 


do.... 


303 


62 




83 


468 

469 

66 

73 


do 

do 

Very scattering 


372 
226 
114 

86 


84 
99 
100 


.....do 

do 

do 


16 

78 
18 



ROCKS BETWEEN FISHING POINT AND BALLARDS MARSH ROCKS. 

In this region there are two small rocks for which no names were 
obtained. One of these lies close to the Baylor line and is encroached 
on by planted areas. It consists of a dense area inshore, the oysters 
becoming very scattering farther out, surrounded by a fringe of de- 
pleted bottom. The other bed is a small patch of very scattering 
growth about 400 yards farther out, in the direction of Dog Shoal 
Rock. 

The following table exhibits the extent and condition of these 
beds : 

Oyster Growth on Rocks Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh Rocks. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content 


Seed. 


Market. 


of market 
oysters. 


Dense 


Acres. 
5 
8 
18 


Bushels. 

183 

1 




Bushels. 

268 

31 




Bushels. 
1,340 


Very scattering 


248 


Depleted 









1 Total 


31 






1,588 











28 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The dense area varies considerably in productiveness, one spot 
near what appeared to be the center of the original bed producing 
a quantity of oysters sufficient to yield 50 bushels per day to the 
tonger, while in another place not more than 9 bushels could be 
taken. 

On the very scattering area of the larger bed barely 3 bushels per 
day could be taken, but on the small isolated spot the growth was 
sufficient to yield about 4 bushels per day. The depleted area is 
practically bare of oysters of all sizes, and the quantity of shells is 
negligible. On the small strip in the dense bottom where the market 
oysters were most abundant there is a very dense growth of young, 
but the rest of the bed is deficient in this respect. 

The following table gives the results of the several examinations of 
the beds : 

Details of Examination of Beds Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh 

Rocks. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


93 


Aug. 14,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 3,1909 
Aug. 14,1909 

do 

Sept. 3,1909 


Feet. 

7.5 
7.5 
7.0 
8.5 
8.5 
8.5 
8.5 




0.0 
.0 
.3 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


0.0 
56.4 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


7.0 

37.3 

3.1 

2.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

366 
2 






Bush. 

85 

451 

37 

25 








Bush. 
85 


95 


do 


817 


98 
464 
96 


Very scattering 

do 


39 

25 



97 


'.do 





463 


do 






BALLARDS MARSH ROCK. 

This is the bed called by Winslow "Bally Smash," probably an un- 
conscious attempt to render a provincial pronunciation phonetically* 
It is the westernmost bed of Public Ground No. 6, Isle of Wight County. 
It follows the line of a shoal which sets offshore from Ballards Marsh. 

Its extent and condition are epitomized in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Ballards Marsh Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 



Oysters per acre. 



Seed. Market. 



Estimated 

content of 

market 

oysters. 



Scattering 

Very scattering 
Depleted 

Total 



Acres. 



33 

142 



Bushels. 
152 
191 

45 



Bushels. 

31 

24 

7 



Bushels. 
124 
792 
894 



1,810 



OYSTER BEDS OP JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



29 



The scattering area is a small spot near the inner end of the shoal, 
where the quantity of market oysters is sufficient to yield to the 
tonger between 7 and 8 bushels per day. The very scattering growth 
is found on each side of this and beyond it for a distance of about 
two-thirds the length of the shoal, bearing a growth yielding about 
3| bushels of oysters per day's work. On both sides of the very 
scattering area and beyond it along the line of the shoal is a de- 
pleted bottom on which, as a whole, less than 1 bushel of oysters 
can be taken per day, the edges of the area being practically barren. 

Along both sides of the shoal, even on the so-called depleted 
bottom which surrounds it at its outer end, is a heavy growth of 
young and many shells, which will yield on the average about 35 
bushels of culls and spat per day. The market oysters on this bed 
will average about 400 to the bushel and the culls or seed oysters 
about 750. 

Details of Examination op Ballards Marsh Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


86 


Aug. 14,1909 

do 

Sept. 3,1909 
Sept. 9,1909 
Aug. 14,1909 

do.. 

do 

do 

do....... 

Sept. 3,1909 
Sept. 9,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do -. 


Feet. 
3.0 
6.0 
5.0 
4.0 
6.0 
7.0 
9.0 
7.0 
7.0 
7.0 
6.0 
5.0 
4.5 
4.5 
6.0 
5.5 
6.0 
6.0 
7.0 
7.0 
6.5 
5.5 




13.7 

3.2 

6.6 

10.8 

.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

4.7 

.0 

5.7 

7.4 

10.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


9.7 

3.2 

21.7 

42.3 

2.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

. .3 

27.7 

.0 

22.5 

21.0 

22.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.3 

.0 

.0 


2.6 

2.1 

2.0 

1.8 

1.4 

.0 

1.7 

- .0 

1.8 

1.3 

.0 

.4 

.5 

.2 

.2 

.9 

.7 

.2 

.5 

1.4 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

152 

42 

184 

346 

17 







2 

211 



183 

185 

213 











2 






Bush. 
31 
25 
25 
22 
17 

21 


22 
16 

5 
6 
2 
2 
11 
8 
2 
6 
17 




Bush. 
183 


85 
462 


Very scattering 

d"o 


67 
209 


514 


.. do 


368 


87 






88 







89 


do 


21 


90 

91 

461 


do 

do : 

do 




24 
227 


504 
505 


do 

do 



188 


506 


do 


191 


508 


do 


215 


513 


do 


2 


515 


do 


11 


516 
517 
518 
519 
520 
521 


do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


8 
2 
6 
19 











CREEK CHANNEL ROCK. 

This is a small bed about 2 acres in extent, covering a shoal 
marked by a buoy of the Light-House Establishment. It has the 
indications of having been a dense bed, but at the present time it is 
depleted, and a tonger could take on it an average of hardly a bushel 
of oysters per day, and the young growth is still more sparse. It is 
surrounded by private beds. It constitutes Public Ground No. 5, 
Isle of Wight County. 



30 OYSTEK BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

The following observations were made on this bed : 

Details of Examination of Creek Channel Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


383 


Aug. 26,1909 
do 


Feet. 
13.0 
6.0 




0.0 
0.0 


0.0 
1.1 


1.4 
.2 


Bushels. 


7 


Bushels. 
19 
3 


Bushels. 
19 


384 


do 


10 









AARON SHOAL ROCK. 

This is the only bed in Public Ground No. 2, Isle of Wight County. 
It is almost or quite surrounded by private beds, the boundary stakes 
of which formed a forest which made it difficult to tell, without spend- 
ing on the bed more time than its importance warranted, what was 
planted ground and what was not. 

The following statistics exhibit its present condition: 

Oyster Growth on Aaron Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 

2? 

4 

3 

24 


Bushels. 

129 

135 



112 


Bushels. 

100 

33 

23 

5 


Bushels. 
200 




132 


Very scattering 


69 

120 






Total 


31 






521 











The dense area forms a very narrow strip along the northern edge 
close to and among the stakes. Its area could not be very definitely 
determined without wasteful expenditure of time, but is probably 
about 2 acres. About 10 bushels of oysters per day could be taken by 
the tonger. 

On the scattering growth it is estimated that about 4| bushels, and 
on the very scattering about 3 bushels, per day could be taken. The 
depleted area is for the most part bare. There is a good growth of 
young on the dense and scattered areas and at two spots on the de- 
pleted bottom. 

The following examinations were made. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details op Examination of Aaron Shoal Rock 



31 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


392 


Aug. 26,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
8.5 
5.5 
5.5 
6.0 
5.0 
8.5 
7.5 
6.5 




0.0 
5.7 
1.6 

.0 
6.7 
5.0 

.0 
5.3 


6.0 
28.0 
19.2 

.0 
24.2 
10.3 

.0 
18.7 


9.7 

4.7 

2.4. 

1.7 

1.3 

.3 

.0 

.0 


Bush. 

39 

219 

135 



201 

90 



156 


Bush. 

134 

65 

33 

23 

18 

4 






Bush. 
173 


396 

389 


do. 


284 
168 


400 
390 
391 
394 
395 


Very scattering 

Depleted 

do 

do 

do ■ 


23 
219 

94 



156 



BROWNS SHOAL ROCKS. 

Included under this name are a number of small rocks, separated 
by depleted and barren bottom lying at the extreme lower end of 
public ground No. 1, Warwick County, just above Newport News. 
The productive portions lie on Browns Shoal and a number of other 
shoal spots in the vicinity. The extent and present condition of the 
rocks as a whole are shown in the following table : 

Oyster Growth on Browns Shoal Rocks. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 

68 

44 

27 

226 


Bushels. 
126 

142 

88 

5 


Bushels. 

183 

54 

39 

4 


Bushels. 

12, 444 




2,376 




1,053 




904 






Total 


365 






16, 777 











The dense area is found in seven patches, of which the largest, 
covering about 25 acres, is on a shoal west of Browns Shoal sur- 
rounding a watchhouse or covered pierhead. The areas as a whole 
are quite productive of market oysters, and it is estimated that an 
industrious tonger working nine hours per day could take between 
10 and 40 bushels of oysters, the average at all places examined 
being about 15 bushels. 

The areas of scattering growth are three in number, lying on me 
ends of Browns Shoal proper and a small shoal west of it, inshore of 
the watchhouse above alluded to. They carry a depth of between 
about 4 or 5 and 12 feet at low water, and their productiveness is 
such that a tonger could take an average of between 5 and 6 bushels 
of market oysters per day. 

The areas of very scattering growth are a number of small patches 
nearly all lying between the more prolific areas and the edges of the 
bed. They are nearly all covered by about 10 feet of water at low 
tide, and bear oysters in sufficient quantity to yield to the tonger 
between 3 and 4 bushels per day. 
20201—10 3 



32 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The depleted bottom constitutes nearly two-thirds of the total 
area of the beds as charted. At no place does it promise to yield 
during the present season more than 2\ bushels per day, and the 
major part of it is practically barren. 

The growth of young oysters is very good on the shallower parts 
of the beds, especially on those portions yielding a scattering growth 
of market stock, where a tonger could take an average of about 15 
bushels per day. On the dense areas as a whole the young growth is 
less abundant, the estimated average yield being about 11 bushels 
per day, the heaviest growth being on two small" shoals between the 
inner end of Browns Shoal and the shipyard at Newport News. 

On all of the productive areas there is an abundance of shells 
suitable for catching a set of 'spat, but the depleted areas are prac- 
tically bare and give no promise of recuperation under any natural 
conditions. 

The following exhibits the results of examinations : 

Details op Examination op Browns Shoal Rocks. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 



112- 
122 
123 
126 
139 
141 
142 
144 
145 
146 
450 
459 
460 
524 
115 
118 
119 
120 
136 
138 
143 
451 
452 
453 
117 
125 
135 
140 
457 
458 
523 
113 
114 
116 
124 
137 
449 
454 
455 
456 
522 
567 





Mean 


Date of exami- 


depth 


nation. 


of 




water. 




Feet. 


Aug. 16,1909 


9.5 


do 


9.5 


do 


8.5 


do 


8.0 


Aug. 17,1909 


9.5 


do 


11.5 


do 


14.5 


do 


10.5 


do 


12.5 


do 


13.5 


Sept. 1,1909 


10.0 


Sept. 3,1909 


10.5 


do 


10.5 


Sept. 10, 1909 


11.5 


Aug. 16,1909 


9.0 


do 


7.0 


do 


6.0 


do 


6.0 


Aug. 17,1909 


10.0 


do 


9.0 


do 


12.5 


Sept. 1,1909 


7.5 


do 


11.0 


do 


10.0 


Aug. 16,1909 


5.0 


do 


10.0 


Aug. 17,1909 


11.0 


do 


11.0 


Sept. 3,1909 


11.0 


do 


10.5 


Sept. 10,1909 


10.0 


Aug. 16,1909 


12.6 


do 


10.5 


do 


12.0 


do 


12.0 


Aug. 17,1909 


12.0 


Sept. 1,1909 


18.0 


do 


18.0 


do 


10.5 


do 


11.0 


Sept. 10, 1909 


24.0 


Sept. 14, 1909 


20.5 



Character of growth 
of market oysters. 



Dense 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Scattering 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Very scattering 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Depleted 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. 



4.7 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

1.6 

2.0 

7.2 

1.5 

1.5 

.0 

5.2 

5.0 

2.1 

.0 

.3 

.6 

.9 

4.5 

3.6 

2.0 

,0 

12.3 

7.3 

2.9 

.2 

.3 

2.0 



8.2 

2.9 

2.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 



Culls. 



31.9 

24.6 

21.6 

10.7 

6.4 

11.2 

15.6 

18.0 

11.0 

9.2 

37.8 

21.2 

16.2 

4.0 

28.7 

21.2 

12.8 

11.8 

25.6 

31.0 

2.8 

34.0 

20.4 

12.1 

12.9 

3.7 

6.0 

8.8 

26.2 

9.6 

12.5 

5.7 

.0 

.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

2.3 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 



Counts 



12.0 

7.9 

9.6 

7.3 

32.0 

9.6 

12.8 

10.5 

14.5 

24.4 

4.4 

10.8 

20.8 

9.0 

6.3 

4.0 

2.3 

2.5 

4.4 

4.0 

6.4 

3.0 

5.8 

4.6 

2.2 

3.3 

3.2 

2.8 

2.5 

3.8 

2.0 

2.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.4 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 



Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 



Seed. 



Bush. 

238 

160 

149 

70 

52 

86 

148 

127 

81 

60 

280 

170 

119 

26 



100 

190 

214 

18 

301 

180 

98 

85 

26 

52 

57 

223 

81 

94 

37 



2 







15 











Market. 



Bush. 

165 

109 

133 

101 

443 

133 

177 

145 

200 

337 

61 

149 

287 

124 

87 

55 

32 

34 

61 

55 

88 

41 

80 

64 

30 

45 

44 

39 

35 

52 

28 

28 











19 



. 







Total. 



Bush. 

403 

269 

282 

171 

495 

219 

325 

- 272 

281 

397 

341 

319 

406 

150 

275 

196 

121 

134 

251 

269 

106 

342 

260 

162 

115 

71 

96 

96 

258 

133 

122 

65 



2 







34 











OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 33 

GUN ROCK. 

This is a small bed lying on a shoal spot west of the preceding. 
Its extent and estimated density of growth and contents are as 
follows : 

Oyster Growth on Gun Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
6 
16 
4 


Bushels. 

198 

62 




Bushels. 

152 

30 




Bushels. 
912 


Very scattering 


480 











Total 


26 






1,392 











The dense area forms a narrow tongue running along the inner or 
shoreward end of the ridge or backbone of the shoal, and it produces 
market oysters in sufficient quantity to yield the tonger about 9 
bushels per day. There is no scattering growth, but the outer half 
of the length of the bed as far as the Baylor line produces a very 
scattering growth sufficient to yield about 3 bushels per day. 

Along the higher parts of the ridge, on both the dense and very 
scattering bottoms, there is a prolific growth of young oysters, suffi- 
cient to furnish the tonger from 12 to 14 bushels per day. The edges 
of the very scattering area produce but few young oysters, and the 
depleted bottom is practically bare of both oysters and clean shells, 
its position being indicated solely by the presence of shells more or 
less deeply buried in the mud. 

The following observations were made: 

Details of Examination op Gun Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


134 


Aug. 17,1909 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
16.0 
6.5 
12.5 
12.5 




2.0 
.8 
.0 
.0 


28.5 

17.4 

1.0 

.0 


11.0 
1.8 
2.5 
.0 


Bush. 

198 

118 

6 




Bush. 

152 

25 

34 




Bush. 
350 


147 
149 


Very scattering 

do 


143 

40 


148 














KETTLE HOLE ROCK. 



I am not certain of the name of this bed, as in the field some confu- 
sion arose as to whether this or the next was Thomas Point Rock. 
In designating it as above I have been guided by Winslow's nomen- 
clature. This bed is the largest and most important in this part of 



34 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



the river. It lies on the north side of a shallow ridge, extending 
thence shoreward toward Watts Creek as far as the Baylor line. 
Its extent and present general condition are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Kettle Hole Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 



Dense 

Scattering 

Very scattering 
Depleted 

Total...'. 



Area. 



Acres. 
258 

66 
111 

11 



446 



Oysters per acre. 



Seed. 



Bushels. 
317 
207 
180 



Market. 



Bushels. 

105 

82 

42 





Estimated 

content of 

market 

oysters. 



Bushels. 

27,090 

5,412 

4,662 





37, 164 



The principal area of dense growth starts from the ridge and ex- 
tends as a broad belt as far as the Baylor line inshore. The public 
ground includes but a portion of the shoal, possibly because the 
southern part was taken up as private ground prior to the Baylor 
survey. The productive bottom probably extends across the ridge, 
but as it is not included in the public grounds and is staked as a pri- 
vate holding it was not examined. The growth of market oysters on 
the public ground is rather uniform and is sufficient to provide the 
tonger with from 8 to 13 bushels per day, the average being about 
9 or 10. Near the middle of the inner part of the dense area is a small 
spot where market oysters are deficient in quantity, but the growth 
of young is so prolific that it has not been thought advisable to differ- 
entiate it on the chart. There is also a small area of dense growth on 
a shallow spot east of the main area. 

The scattering growth on Kettle Hole Rock forms a fringe along the 
western border of the dense area, with a broad tongue thrust into the 
latter near its middle. The growth of market oysters is sufficient to 
yield to the tonger an average of about 6 bushels per day. 

The areas of very scattering growth form a border on the eastern 
and inshore edges of the dense growth, and it is estimated that about 
3 or 3^ bushels of oysters could be tonged per day on the areas taken 
in their entirety. 

The depleted bottom is insignificant and bare of everything except 
a few buried shells. 

There is a heavy growth of young oysters over practically the entire 
extent of this bed. On the dense areas they are estimated to be pres- 
ent in sufficient quantities to yield to the tonger about 28 bushels per 
day as an average at the beginning of the season, while on the scatter- 
ing and very scattering areas the yield would probably average about 
16 or 17 bushels. Undoubtedly the entire bed can be regarded as 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



35 



presently and prospectively productive. The following data were 
obtained from the examinations made: 

Details op Examination of Kettle Hole Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. , 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


133 


Aug. 17,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 26,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 17,1909 
Aug. 18,1909 
Aug.* 26, 1909 
Aug. 17,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 26,1909 
Aug. 18,1909 

do 


Feet. 
10.0 
13.5 
11.5 
11.5 
9.5 
• 11.5 
11.5 
10.5 
8.5 
7.5 
8.0 
12.5 
17.0 
11.0 
11.0 
13.0 
11.5 
11.5 
1L5 
14.0 
16.0 




8.5 

5.0 

1.5 

.0 

.0 

5.0 

2.1 

8.1 

6.5 

7.6 

9.6 

5.0 

.7 

.9 

.0 

.4 

1.1 

.2 

7.9 

.0 

.0 


47.5 
62.0 
29.9 
32.0 
44.6 
27.5 
18.5 
54.6 
47.2 
46.7 
72.4 
34.6 
50.0 
3.8 
16.0 
43.3 
13.3 
24.0 
30.0 
.0 
.0 


10.0 
7.5 
7.8 
8.0 
.7 
11.7 
7.6 
9.6 
6.1 
7.9 
6.5 
5.5 
6.9 
5.4 
4.0 
2.1 
3.0 
3.3 
2.9 
.0 
.0 


Bush. 
364 
436 
204 
208 
290 
211 
134 
408 
349 
353 
533 
257 
334 

31 
104 
284 

95 

169 

246 






Bush. 

138 

104 

108 

111 

10 

161 

105 

133 

84 

109 

90 

76 

95 

75 

55 

29 

41 

46 

40 






Bush. 
502 


155 


do 


540 


156 


do 


312 


157 


do 


319 


159 


do 


300 


360 


do 


372 


361 


do 


239 


362 


do 


541 


363 


...do 


433 


364 


do 


462 


365 


do 


623 


158 




333 


163 
359 


do 

do 


429 
106 


151 
152 


Very scattering 


159 
313 


153 


do 


136 


154 
369 
164 


do 

do 


215 

286 



165 


do 












THOMAS POINT ROCK. 

As explained in the discussion of the preceding bed, there may be 
some question as to the name of this one, which lies between what 
has been called Kettle Hole Rock and Blunt Point Rock. It is 
entirely separated from the former by a swash channel carrying 
from 12 to 21 feet of water, but is connected with Blunt Point Rock 
by a narrow ridge of depleted bottom. The bed lies on and about 
two shoals which extend from the edge of the channel lying north 
of White Shoal Light. Its extent and condition are as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Thomas Point Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 
76 
118 
100 
127 


Bushels. 
168 
170 
103 

80 


Bushels. 
115 
71 
51 
21 


Bushels. 

8,745 




8,378 




5,100 




2,667 






Total 


421 






24,890 











The dense growth of market oysters is in three patches, all lying on 
or close to the shoaler parts of the bed in water ranging from 5 to 8 
feet at low tide. The growth is sufficiently prolific to yield to the 
tonger about 10 bushels of marketable oysters per day. 



36 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The area covered by scattering marketable oysters stretches from 
the western side of the longer shoal across some intervening deeper 
water to two small shoals to the westward. Over the whole area the 
density of growth is such that about 6 bushels of oysters may be 
taken per day. 

The very scattered growth is in three areas fringing the denser 
parts of the bed. Its productiveness varies between areas which 
will yield 2\ and those which will yield 4J bushels per day, the gen- 
eral average at all places examined being about 3^ bushels. 

The best of the depleted bottom, which is in the areas lying on the 
edge of the deep-water channel, will yield about 2\ bushels per day, 
while the inshore area and that lying in the midst of the scattering 
growth will not yield an average of over 1 bushel. 

The young growth is in good quantity, though not so abundant as 
on Kettle Hole Rock. On the dense and scattering areas it is suffi- 
cient to yield an average of about 15 bushels per day. On the very 
scattering area near the inshore end of the eastern edge of the rock it 
is in about the same abundance, but elsewhere it will yield not more 
than 4^ bushels per day's tonging. On the best of the depleted bot- 
tom, along the edge of the deep-water channel, it is estimated that 
about 10 or 11 bushels per day could be taken by the tonger, but on 
other parts of the depleted area young oysters are practically absent. 

The oysters on this bed, as on all others on this shore of the river, 
are of fair size, the marketable stock averaging about 350 per bushel 
and the young approximately 750. 

The following observations were made: 

Details of Examination of Thomas Point Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


127 


Aug. 17,1909 
do 

Aug. 26,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 17,1909 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 18,1909 
do 

Aug. 26,1909 
do 

Aug. 18,1909 
do 

Aug. 26,1909 

do 

do 

Aug. 18,1909 
do 

Aug. 26,1909 
do 


Feel. 
12.5 
12.5 
8.5 
8.5 
13.0 
14.5 
12.5 
13.5 
9.5 
9.0 
9.0 
8.5 
11.0 
13.0 
15.5 
14.0 
17.0 
13.0 
9.5 
15.0 
13.0 
13.0 




0.8 

9.6 

3.9 

13.4 

5.8 

2.0 

2.5 

1.5 

5.5 

3.0 

2.9 

10.0 

2.3 

1.2 

2.7 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.3 

2.7 

.0 

.3 


2.1 

33.0 

33.1 

13.8 

13.6 

21.2 

24.0 

9.5 

24.0 

31.1 

27.7 

28.6 

13.2 

13.5 

45.9 

4.5 

6.8 

4.5 

18.5 

24.6 

1.2 

1.0 


11.2 
8.9 

10.3 
5.8 
5.5 
6.0 
4.5 
5.5 
5.5 
5.7 
5.1 
1.8 
7.1 
2.4 
5.5 
3.3 
3.6 
3.8 
1.8 
2.7 

. .9 
.7 


Bush. 

19 

277 

241 

177 

126 

151 

172 

71 

192 

221 

199 

•251 

101 

97 

316 

29 

44 

29 

129 

177 

8 

8 


Bush. 
154 
123 
142 
80 
76 
83 
62 
76 
76 
79 
70 
25 
98 
33 
76 
46 
50 
52 
25 
37 
12 
10 


Bush. 
173 


132 
366 


do 

do 


400 
383 


367 
374 


do 

do 


257 
202 


128 




234 


129 


do 


234 


130 
131 
160 


do 

do 

do 


147 
268 
300 


161 
368 
372 


do 

do 

do 


269 
276 
199 


162 
166 


Very scattering 

do 


130 
392 


371 
375 
376 


do 

do 

do 


75 
94 

81 


168 
172 


Depleted 

do 


154 
214 


373 
377 


do 

do 


20 
18 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



37 



BLUNT POINT ROCK. 

This is the uppermost bed in that part of Public Ground No. 1, War- 
wick County, in which the cull law is enforced. All beds above this, 
excepting the small one in Warwick River, are within the area which 
is set apart for seed production. This rock is rather attenuated in 
most of its parts, being in the shape of an irregular ring surrounding 
a deeper barren area, with a long tail running along the Baylor line 
in the direction of Deep Creek. The highly productive area is very 
limited and the very scattering growth constitutes more than half 
of the total area. The extent and general condition of the bed at the 
time of the survey are shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Blunt Point Rock. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed. 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 




Acres. 

16 

69 

225 

118 


Bushels. 
171 
193 
105 
42 


Bushels. 
161 
60 
45 
14 


Bushels. 

2,576 
4,140 






10, 125 




1,652 






Total 


428 






18, 493 











The bottom covered with a dense growth occurs on two small 
patches on small shoals, on which about 15 bushels of market oysters 
could be taken in a day. 

There are three areas of scattering growth, of about equal produc- 
tiveness so far as market oysters are concerned. One of these is at 
the extreme end of the rock off Deep Creek, which is in close proximity 
to planted beds and bears some indications of being itself planted 
ground. These areas as a whole will yield, it is estimated, an average 
of about 6 bushels per day. 

The very scattering growth consists of a narrow zone almost en- 
circling the included barren area above alluded to and a prolonga- 
tion northward toward Deep Creek. The examinations made on 
it indicate a probable yield of about 3^ bushels per day of continuous 
tonging. 

The depleted area skirts the preceding for a good part of its length, 
and in addition forms a projection on the western part of the bed and 
a small isolated patch on a shoal just beyond it. Its content of 
oysters is such that it could furnish the tonger with hardly more than 
a bushel per day. 

The young growth is in good quantity on the dense and scattering 
areas of oysters, excepting that nearest Deep Creek, where it is prac- 
tically absent. With the exception noted, the tonger should be able 
to gather about 15 bushels per day. On the narrow annular part of 



38 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



the beds the production of young oysters is good on the very scatter- 
ing and depleted areas, which in their other parts are deficient in 
immature growth. 

The following data furnish the basis for the foregoing: 

Details of Examination op Blunt Point Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts: 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


252 


Aug. 21,1909 

do 

Aug. 18,1909 

do 

Aug. 21,1909 
Aug. 18,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 26,1909 

do 

Aug. 18,1909 

do 

do 

do 

.....do 

Aug. 19,1909 
Aug. 21,1909 
Aug. 26,1909 

do 


Feet. 

9.5 
12.5 
12.5 

6.5 
11.0 
16.0 
10.5 
10.5 
11.0 

9.5 
14.5 
13.0 
16.0 
13.5 
16.5 
13.5 

8.5 

9.5 
11.5 
12.5 
15.5 




7.9 

3.1 

1.5 

.0 

.3 

.9 

2.6 

1.3 

2.0 

.0 

1.0 

.3 

1.9 

.0 

.0 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

.8 

.0 

.0 


17.5 

24.5 

33.9 

.8 

22.9 

5.0 

42.3 

27.1 

7.1 

4.0 

3.1 

16.0 

35.2 

.0 

3.6 

.0 

12.1 

.0 

2.9 

.0 

.0 


7.5 

15.9 

5.3 

3.5 

4.2 

4.6 

3.5 

2.9 

3.7 

2.0 

4.1 

2.1 

2.6 

.0 

.9 

.0 

1.3 

1.3 

1.3 

1.8 

.0 


Bush. 

165 

178 

230 

5 

151 

38 

292 

184 

59 

26 

27 

106 

241 



23 



87 



24 






Bush. 

103 

219 

73 

48 

58 

63 

48 

40 

51 

28 

57 

29 

36 



7 



18 

18 

18 

25 




Bush. 
268 


253 


do 


397 


180 




303 


187 


do 


53 


254 
173 
175 


do 

Very scattering 

do 


209 
101 
340 


178 
182 
188 


do 

do 

do 


224 
110 
54 


380 


do 


84 


381 
174 


do 


135 
277 


177 


....do 





179 

181 
189 


do 

do 

do 


30 



105 


190 
251 


do 

do 


18 
42 


378 


do 


25 


379 


do 












WHITE SHOAL ROCKS. 

These are two rocks in very shallow water, with slightly greater 
depths between and deep channels surrounding. The westernmost 
lies about a bare shell bank and the easternmost is nearly awash at 
low water. 

The following exhibits their extent and condition at the beginning 
of the oyster season of 1909-10. 

Oyster Growth on White Shoal Rocks. 



Character of growth of market oysters. 

• 


Area. 


Oysters per acre. 


Estimated 
content of 


Seed 


Market. 


market 
oysters. 


Dense 


Acres. 
44 
10 
52 


Bushels. 
312 
108 
53 


Bushels. 
127 
36 
12 


Bushels. 
5,588 




360 


Depleted 


624 






Total . . . : 


106 






6,572 











The dense areas produce a good quantity of marketable oysters 
and at the beginning of the present season should be capable of yield- 
ing about 12 bushels of oysters per full day of tonging. There are 
no areas of scattered growth within the definition of this report, but at 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



39 



each end of the western rock there is a small patch of very scattering 
growth capable of yielding an average of 3 4 bushels of marketable 
oysters per day. 

The area charted as depleted bears very few marketable oysters. 

The young growth on the dense areas is very prolific, being in 
sufficient quantity to afford a daily return to the tonger of about 35 
bushels. On the scattering bottom about 10 bushels per day could 
be taken, while on the depleted bottom as a whole the average would 
hardly exceed 4 bushels, although two or three times that many 
could be taken in places. 

Details op Examination op White Shoal Rocks. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth 
of market oysters. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated quantity oys- 
ters per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


Seed. 


Market. 


Total. 


169 


Aug. 18,1909 
do 

Sept. 1,1909 

do 

do....... 

do 

Sept. 14, 1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
5.5 
8.5 
10.0 
10.0 
13.0 
9.5 
9.5 
4.0 
7.5 
10.5 
9.0 
8.5 
6.5 
12.5 
10.5 
11.5 




7.7 

3.8 

11.7 

11.7 

15.2 

10.0 

6.1 

11.5 

2.0 

2.6 

.3 

1.0 

.3 

1.9 

4.6 

.3 


92.3 

10.4 

63.3 

29.6 

26.9 

28.4 

26.2 

29.3 

8.7 

19.7 

1.3 

6.3 

.0 

11.0 

21.0 

.3 


6.5 
9.2 
7.1 
17.9 
8.3 
7.1 
11.6 
5.7 
3.0 
2.3 

.3 
1.0 

.0 
1.9 
1.8 

.3 


Bush. 
650 

92 
487 
268 
274 
250 
210 
265 

70 
145 

10 

47 
2 

84 

166 

4 


Bush. 

90 

127 

98 

247 

115 

98 

160 

79 

41 

32 

4 

14 



26 

25 

4 


Bush. 
740 


170 
443 
444 
445 


do 

do 

do 

do 


219 
585 
515 
389 


447 
556 
557 


do 

do 

do 


348 
370 
344 


558 
562 


Very scattering 

do 


111 

177 


552 




14 


553 
554 
555 


do 

do 

do 


61 

2 
110 


559 
561 


do 

do 


191 

8 









SEED OYSTER AREA. 



JAIL ISLAND ROCK. 

For this and all of the following rocks the standard of density of 
growth is different from that adopted in the preceding descriptions. 
The cull law, so faf as it relates to the size of oysters, does not apply, 
and oysters of whatever size may be taken. The entire content of 
the bed, both young and old, is therefore taken into consideration, 
and as the average price of seed oysters is about two-thirds of that 
of the market oysters from the James River, a larger quantity has 
to be taken to furnish a living wage. In all of the following descrip- 
tions a bed is regarded as dense when 12 or more bushels may be 
taken by a tonger in a day's work, as scattering when it will yield 
between 8 and 12 bushels, very scattering when it yields between 4 
and 8, and depleted if less than 4 bushels can be tonged per day. 
As the market oysters sell for 45 cents and the seed oysters for but 
30 cents per bushel, the financial return is essentially equal. 

Jail Island Rock, which extends alongshore west of the mouth of 
Warwick River, is continuous at its offshore edge with Wreck Shoal 



40 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



Rock, the boundary between them as adopted in this report being 
purely arbitrary. 

The extent and general condition of the bed at the time of the 
survey was as follows : 



Oyster Growth on Jail Island Rock. 



Character of growth. 



Area. 



Oysters 
per acre. 



Estimated 

content 
of oysters. 



Dense 

Scattering 

Very scattering 
Depleted 

Total. . . . 



Acres. 

227 

198 

14 

508 



Bushels. 
143 
109 
28 



Bushels. 

32, 461 

21, 582 

392 

4,064 



947 



58, 499 



The principal area of dense growth runs from the inner edge of 
Wreck Shoal Rock in a gradually narrowing belt to a tongue extend- 
ing to within 200 or 300 yards of shore between Jail Island and the 
mouth of Warwick River. The depth of water gradually decreases 
from about 9 feet to 2 or 3 feet at low water, near Jail Island. There 
is also a small area of dense growth lying on an isolated patch in 
about 10 or 11 feet of water off the mouth of Warwick River, which, 
being just on the cull line, is arbitrarily included in the Jail Island 
bed for the purposes of this report. The dense bottom as a whole 
will afford the tonger an average catch per day of about 17 bushels 
of oysters of all sizes. 

The area of scattering growth lies in a single body north and west 
of the preceding in from 6 to 1 1 feet of water. The growth oh the 
whole is rather heavier in the deeper water, and as an average should 
yield approximately 9 bushels per day. 

The very scattering growth is in a small patch immediately east 
of Jail Island, where the yield to the tonger should be about 5 bushels 
per day. 

The depleted bottom forms a broad zone on the inshore side and 
a narrow strip on the eastern edge of the bed. There is also a de- 
pleted area adjoining the small, isolated, dense patch before described, 
and a small patch lying between that and the main bed. In most 
places the so-called "depleted bottom" is practically bare. There is 
but a moderate supply of shells on the dense area and on the scatter- 
ing area close to it, but elsewhere the bed is deficient in this respect. 

It is stated that the inshore portions of the bed, on the depleted 
bottom along the Baylor line, produce fine single oysters, which in 
calm weather are picked up one by one and bring a high price in the 
markets. The survey did not disclose any quantity of such oysters. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details of Examination of Jail Island Rock. 



41 



Station 
num- 
ber. 



Date of ex- 
amination. 



Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


1.3 


49.0 


4.6 


1.7 


12.1 


2.5 


.0 


8.5 


6.9 


1.5 


8.8 


4.2 


1.3 


3.3 


2.8 


4.6 


8.2 


2.1 


5.4 


16.7 


2.5 


.0 


2.7 


6.2 


1.1 


1.9 


.9 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.4 


1.7 


1.3 


.0 


.0 


.7 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.3 


.3 


. 7 


. i 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



184 
198 
199 
200 
404 
207 
210 
211 
402 
183 
185 
192 
208 
212 
401 
403 



Aug. 18,1909 
Aug. 19,1909 

....do 

....do 

Aug. 27,1909 
Aug. 19.1909 
....do...... 

....do 

Aug. 27, 1909 
Aug. 18,1909 

....do 

Aug. 19,1909 

....do 

....do 

Aug. 27,1909 
....do 



Feet. 

11.0 
7.0 
6.0 
4.0 
4.0 

10.0 

11.5 
8.5 
4.0 

11.0 
•12.0 
9.0 
7 5 
6.5 
5.5 
4.0 



Dense 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Scattering 

do 

do 

Very scattering. 

Depleted 

do 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Bushels. 



306 

97 

138 

110 

62 

88 

140 

99 

28 



32 

8 



6 

7 





WRECK SHOAL ROCK. 



This is a large, important, and productive bed extending from the 
preceding to the edge of deep water. For the purposes of this report, 
it is regarded as including the oyster growth on and about Wreck 
Shoal proper and the small shoal to the westward of its outer end. 
Excepting where it adjoins Jail Island bed, its boundaries are rather 
sharply defined by a sudden shoaling of the water. This is especially 
pronounced at the southern edge of the bed, where the bottom very 
abruptly rises from about 150 feet to within 6 feet of the surface. 
North of the smaller shoal the bed is prolonged into a narrow belt 
occupying a slightly shoaling ridge connected with a corner of Mul- 
berry Swash Rock. The depth at low water varies from less than 5 
feet on the shoals to 12 or 15 feet at the edges. On one small area 
projecting as a tongue from the southeast side the water reaches a 
maximum depth of 30 feet. 

Wreck Shoal Rock is practically everywhere highly productive 
and no part of it falls below the standard here regarded as consti- 
tuting denseness of growth. Accepting the arbitrary inner boundary 
here adopted, it has an area of about 506 acres. The oyster growth 
at the places examined ranges from 178 to 497 bushels per acre, the 
average being about 316. The heaviest growth is as a rule found on 
the shoaler places, which facilitates the removal of the product. 
This materially raises the average daily yield to the tonger, which 
ranges in different places from 12 bushels to 51 bushels, with a gen- 
eral average for the entire bed of over 29 bushels. 

The bottom is well covered with clean shells and the bed can be 
regarded as being in a healthy and promising condition. In a few 
places there is a fair growth of large oysters and on the bed as a 



42 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



whole the young growth over 1 inch in length is numerically more 
than double that under 1 inch. 

The following table exhibits the data obtained from the several 
examinations made: 

Details of Examination of Wreck Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 


ber. 


Spat. • 


Culls. 


Counts. 


193 


Aug. 19,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 31,1909 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
12.0 
9.0 
, 8.0 
9.0 
6.5 
12.0 
11.0 
11.0 
10.0 
7.0 
11.5 
14.5 
15.0 
6.5 
8.5 
16.5 




0.0 

7.1 

2.5 

23.7 

17.9 

18.3 

21.8 

9.5 

26.7 

43.0 

15.8 

12.7 

3.6 

38.1 

27.7 

9.5 


16.7 
30.3 
24.6 
34.6 
69.2 
28.6 
44.6 
57.7 
46.9 
45.0 
18.9 
31.8 
30.0 
41.2 
60.0 
30.9 


10.3 

.0 

3.8 

.4 

5.0 

1.4 

3.6 

.0 

.3 

.4 

4.2 

2.3 

2.7 

.8 

1.2 

.4 


Bushels. 
195 


194 
195 


do 

....do .' 


191 

178 


196 

197 

201" 

202 

203 

204 


do 

do 

do 

do 

.....do 

do 


301 
497 
254 
379 
343 
379 


205 
206 
209 

428 


do 

do 

do 

....do 


456 
222 
252 
200 


429 


do... 


413 


430 
431 


do 

.do 


460 
210 









DRY SHOALS ROCKS. 

These are 5 small rocks lying west of the preceding on and about 
shoals which ebb nearly or quite bare. They are in general isolated 
and surrounded by deep water, though two of them are connected by 
narrow ridges of depleted bottom with Swash Rock and Mulberry 
Swash Rock, respectively. 

Their present condition and extent are shown in the following 
table : 

Oyster. Growth on Dry Shoals Rocks. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




A cres. 

126 

18 

9 

21 


Bushels. 

244 

124 

85 

20 


Bushels. 
30,766 




2,232 




765 




420 






Total 


174 




34,183 









Four of these rocks are composed wholly or in major part of bot- 
tom bearing a dense growth of oysters, while the fifth, the smallest, 
bears a scattering growth exclusively. The dense growth in its daily 
yield to the tonger varies, with the locality, between 13 and 59 bushels, 
the average density over the entire area being sufficient to permit a 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



43 



daily catch of about 30 bushels per man. The average depth of 
water is about 5 to 7 feet at low tide. 

The scattering growth is found in two places, one an isolated rock 
of small size and the other at the extremity of a larger bed where 
the productive bottom runs off to deeper water. There is not much 
difference in the density of the growth on the two places, and it is 
estimated that on the two a tonger could take an average of about 
10 bushels of oysters per day. 

The very scattering bottom lies in two small patches at opposite ends 
of the longest bed of the group, and the growth is so sparse as barely 
to remove the areas from the category of depleted bottom. The 
depleted areas are three in number, one in the deeper water at the 
tip of a rock and the others on the two connecting ridges mentioned 
earlier in this description. About the same numerical proportion 
exists between the culls and spat as on the preceding bed, and at 
one place on the dense area there is a good growth of marketable 
oysters averaging between 400 and 450 per bushel. There is a fair 
or good deposit of shells throughout the dense and scattering areas 
and on the apical area of very scattering growth, but elsewhere the 
rocks are deficient in this respect. 

Details of Examination of Dry Shoals Rocks. 



Station 
num- 
ber '. 



340 
341 
342 
347 
348 
349 
351 
352 
438 
439 
440 
343 
442 
337 
344 
437 
441 



Date of ex- 
amination. 



Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
.ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


16.4 


26.4 


0.0 


11.7 


30.0 


4.2 


21.9 


38.5 


2.3 


5.1 


20.9 


2.0 


10.6 


36.6 


.6 


20.3 


57.7 


.0 


13.3 


14.0 


1.3 


9.7 


15.3 


.3 


15.7 


21.3 


.7 


11.1 


43.0 


12.3 


15.4 


23.6 


.4 


3.1 


11.4 


4.0 


5.8 


19.3 


.3 


.8 


2.5 


2.9 


6.1 


11.2 


3.1 


.0 


1.8 


.9 


.0 


1.4 


1.4 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



Aug. 25,1909 

do 

....do 

...:do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Aug. 31,1909 

do 

....do 

Aug. 25,1909 
Aug. 31,1909 
Aug. 25,1909 

do 

Aug. 31,1909 
....do 



Feet. 

7.0 

7.0 

5.0 

11.0 

10.0 

5.0 

5.5 

5.5 

7.0 

8.0 

6.0 

14.0 

12.0 

11.0 

17.0 

14.0 

9.0 



Dense 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Scattering 

do..! 

Very scattering. 

....do 

Depleted 

do 



Bushels. 
218 
258 
•343 
154 
247 
398 
153 
130 
195 
408 
203 
117 
131 
48 
121 
19 
22 



POINT OF SHOALS ROCK. 

This name is here given to a large area of varying productiveness 
lying between the preceding, Long Shoal and Point of Shoals Light- 
house, but it is possible that the name as used by the oystermen may 
not strictly accord with this usage. Scattered over the area are a 
number of small shoals ebbing nearly or quite bare, but the average 
depth is in general between 6 and 8 feet. Excepting at its northern 
edge, where an imaginary line separates it from Long Shoal Rock, 



44 



OYSTEK BEDS OF JAMES EIVEE, VIEGINIA. 



the bed is everywhere bounded by the deep water of the ship chan- 
nel or a swash channel which separates it from Dry Shoals and 
Swash Rocks. Where it faces the ship channel there is for most 
of the distance a border of barren bottom lying between the bed 
proper and deep water. 

The condition and extent of the bed at the time of the survey was 
as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Point of Shoals Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per 
acre. 


Total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 
254 
155 
239 

142 


Bushels. 

200 

93 

42 
15 


Bushels. 
50, 800 




14,415 
10,038 






2,130 




Total 


790 




77,383 







The dense areas are three, one near the eastern end of the bed, 
another adjoining the corresponding area of Long Shoal Rock, and 
the third an isolated spot on a shoal in the swash channel. The 
densest growths occur as a rule on the shoaler spots, especially at the 
eastern end of the bed, from the isolated area above alluded to to the 
ship channel. In this area the average growth is about 275 bushels 
of oysters to the acre — considering the depths, sufficient to yield 
about 38 bushels per day's tonging — while the average of the whole 
area of dense growth would not exceed 25 bushels per day. 

There are four scattering areas, one of which, near the eastern 
apex of the bed, is insignificant. On these as a whole a tonger 
should average, at the beginning of the season, about 10 bushels per 
day. 

The very scattering growth is distributed in three areas, of which 
one adjoins the dense growth on the isolated patch in the swash 
channel. They are barely prolific enough to raise them above the 
assumed limit of depletion. 

The depleted area is in five patches or borders along the free 
boundary of the bed. They are entirely negligible in their pro- 
ductiveness. 

On the dense and scattering areas the proportion of very small 
to small oysters is higher than on the beds previously described, and 
there are several places on each where the growth of oysters above 3 
inches long is fair. 

On the dense areas the deposit of shells is abundant, on the areas 
of scattering growth it is ample, while the areas with a very scattering 
growth and the depleted bottoms are decidedly deficient. In general 
the latter two areas are of no present and little prospective value. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Details of Examination op Point of Shoals Rock. 



45 



Station 
num- 
ber. 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 

Spat. Culls. Counts. 


Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 


321 


Aug. 25,1909 

do....... 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do.. 

Aug. 24,1909 
Aug. 25,1909 

do 

do 

.....do 

Aug. 24,1909 

do 

Aug. 25,1909 

do 

Sept. 11,1909 
Aug. 24,1909 
Aug. 25,1909 

do 

do 

Sept. 11,1909 


Feet. 
5.0 
5.5 
7.5 
7.5 
8.5 
4.0 

10.0 
7.5 
7.0 
7.5 

■8.0 
8.0 
7.5 
7.5 
7.0 
8.0 
6.5 
7.5 
9.5 

10.5 
9.0 
7.0 




8.7 
11.9 

7.7 
17.3 

8.7 
33.9 

4.3 

8.0 
_ 2 

6! 2 
.8 

2.0 
.0 
.3 
.7 

1.3 
.5 
.0 
.0 

1.7 
.0 
.0 


10.5 

10.3 

9.3 

23.3 

33.4 

34.8 

16.0 

6.3 

5.7 

13.3 

5.0 

6.3 

1.0 

.0 

2.3 

2.7 

4.0 

.0 

.0 

2.1 

.0 

2.4 


0.3 

.3 
7.0 
4.3 
1.3 

.3 
5.7 

.7 
4.3 

.4 
5.8 
6.7 
5.6 

.3 
1.7 
2.7 
2.9 

.0 
1.1 
1.7 

.0 
1.1 


Bushels. 
101 


327 


do 


116 


328 


do 


162 


329 


do 


253 


334 


do 


229 


336 


do 


353 


356 


do 


165 


311 




81 


319 


do 


76 


335 


do 


104 


354 


do 


92 


358 


...do 


114 


308 




65 


3io 


do 


5 


320 


...do 


34 


357 


do 


50 


527 


do 


54 


309 







326 


do 


12 


333 


..do 


38 


355 


. do 





531 


.. do 


24 









SWASH ROCK. 

This bed lies inshore of the preceding, nearly surrounded by swash 
channels. It is connected by narrow isthmuses with Long Shoal and 
Dry Shoal Rocks and adjoins V Rock to the westward. It consists 
of a dense area surrounding two shoals ebbing bare, and two depleted 
areas which connect it with adjoining beds. 

Its condition and extent in August, 1909, was as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Swash Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 
146 
115 


Bushels. 
293 

15 


Bushels. 

42, 778 




1,725 








Total. 


261 




44,503 









The dense area as a whole is prolific in its product, but the middle 
part of the bed, between the shoal spots, is less densely covered than 
the surrounding area. It is estimated that at the beginning of the 
season a tonger could take an average of about 39 bushels of oysters 
per day. The covering of clean shells is sufficient to guarantee a good 
strike under favorable conditions. The depleted bottom is practically 
bare of oysters and shells and is at present and potentially worthless 
under natural conditions. 



46 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The following examinations were made during the survey: 

Details of Examination of Swash Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 





Mean 


Date of ex- 


depth 


amination. 


of wa- 




ter. 




Feet. 


Aug. 25, 1909 


5.0 


....do 


7.0 


Aug. 20,1909 


12.0 


Aug. 25,1909 


9.0 


Aug. 31,1909 


14.0 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


29.2 


41.4 


0.0 


12.3 


17.3 


7.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


1.2 


1.9 


.0 


1.8 


.9 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



324 
325 
228 
323 
437 



Dense. . . 
....do... 
Depleted 

do... 

....do... 



Bushels. 

360 

226 



27 

19 



MULBERRY SWASH ROCK. 

This is a long narrow bed lying between Swash and V rocks on the 
outside and the so-called Marshy Island Rock on the shoreward side. 
At its southeastern end it is connected by narrow strips of indifferent 
productiveness with Wreck Shoal and Diy Shoal rocks, and its off- 
shore boundary is the edge of the deep swash channel running toward 
Mulberry Point. 

It consists essentially of bottom carrying a dense growth, inter- 
rupted at two places by areas of inferior productiveness. Its con- 
dition and extent in the latter part of August, 1909, are shown 
in the following table : 

Oyster Growth on Mulberry Swash Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of oys- 
ters. 




Acres. 
422 
34 
20 
29 


Bushels. 

302 

106 

130 

43 


Bushels. 
127, 444 




3,604 




2,600 




1,247 






Total 


505 




134, 895 









The dense area bears a growth varying from 161 to 570 bushels 
per acre, and the depths vary from 8 to upward of 20 feet. The 
heavier growth is as a rule in the shoaler water, though this rule is not 
without exceptions. It is estimated that a tonger could take an 
average of about 23 bushels per day at the beginning of the season. 

The scattered area is limited in extent and bears a growth of be- 
tween 88 and 117 bushels per acre, in a depth of between 13 and 15 
feet, and it is estimated that it will yield about 8 bushels per day. 

The area of very scattering growth connects this bed with Wreck 
Shoal Rock, and although, as shown by the foregoing table, the 
growth is heavier than on the preceding area, it lies in between 18 
and 20 feet of water and will therefore be less productive to the tonger, 
its estimated initial yield being about 7 bushels per day. The de- 
pleted area is in several small patches. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



47 



There is an abundant supply of shells on the dense area, a quantity 
of doubtful sufficiency on the bottoms bearing scattering and very 
scattering growths, and a deficiency on the depleted bottom. 

Details of Examination of Mulberry Swash Rock. 



Station 
num- - 
ber. 



213 
219 
220 
226 
227 
230 
238 
331 
338 
346 
432 
433 
435 
436 
345 
434 



Date of ex- 
amination. 



Aug. 19,1909 
Aug. 20,1909 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Aug. 25,1909 

do 

....do 

Aug. 31, 1909 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Aug. 25,1909 
Aug. 31,1909 



Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 



Feet. 
14.0 
10.0 
12.0 

..17. 5 
12.5 
12.0 
15.0 
16.5 
9.0 
11.0 
16.5 
13.0 
13.0 
14.0 
18.0 
17.0 



Character of growth. 



Dense 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Scattering 

do 

do 

Very scattering. 
Depleted 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


7.8 


13.3 


7.4 


48.8 


42.1 


3.3 


13.9 


11.6 


2.9 


20.5 


23.7 


8.7 


3.2 


27.3 


9.6 


16.1 


16.5 


.6 


26.5 


31.9 


2.3 


16.8 


30.0 


6.8 


23.8 


80.0 


4.2 


28.9 


34.0 


.3 


27.2 


17.2 


2.3 


5.7 


10.9 


.3 


5.8 


10.7 


2.7 


3.6 


17.3 


1.0 


5.4 


16.4 


1.8 


.5 


4.1 


1.8 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



Bushels. 
187 
498 
161 
319 
259 
173 
322 
312 
570 
324 
200 

88 
113 
117 
130 

43 



MARSHY ISLAND ROCK. 

This lies between Mulberry Swash Rock and the inshore boundary 
of the public ground, principally in the "addition" which was made 
a part of the ground subsequent to the Baylor survey. The name 
here employed is coined for the purpose of this report, as the name by 
which this area of oyster bottom is known to the oystermen, if it has a 
distinctive name, was not ascertained by the survey. The outer or 
offshore boundary of the bed is defined more or less sharply by a 
channel, carrying a maximum of from 21 to 27 feet of water, between 
this and Mulberry Swash Rock. 

The condition and extent of this bed about the middle of August, 
1909, was as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Marshy Island Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 


Dense 


Acres. 
197 
322 
235 
387 


Bushels. 
231 
129 

85 
18 


Bushels. 

45, 507 

41,538 

19,975 

6,966 


Scattering ■ 


Very scattering 


Depleted 




Total 


1,141 




113,980 







The dense areas lie in three isolated patches which exhibit no mate- 
rial shoaling over the surrounding bottom, except where they touch 
the channel which bounds the bed offshore. The depth of water on 

20201—10 4 



48 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



the several areas ranges between 6 and 16 feet, and the density of 
growth between 142 and 410 bushels per acre. It is estimated that 
the bottoms are capable of producing an initial yield of about 18 
bushels per day. 

The scattering area occupies a general central position in the bed 
surrounding one of the dense spots. The depth varies from 10 feet 
inshore to about 22 feet at the edge of the channel, and the quantity 
of oysters varies between 92 and 186 bushels per acre. The estimated 
daily yield to the tonger is about 10 bushels. 

The bottom covered by a very scattering growth forms a zone 
encircling the inner edge of the preceding. It lies in a depth varying 
from 7 to 16 feet, and, although the examinations were not as numerous 
as they should have been, they indicate that the growth is sufficient 
to yield an average of between 6 and 7 bushels per day. 

The depleted bottom lies in a belt on the inside edge of the bed. 
It is practically bare of oysters and shells. 

Shells are found in fair quantities on the dense bottom and on the 
outer parts of the scattering growth, but are deficient on the inshore 
parts of the latter, on most of the area of very scattering growth, and 
on the depleted area. 

The following observations were made : 

Details of Examination of Marshy Island Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 



217 
225 
232 
239 
221 
222 
224 
231 
233 
223 
234 
218 





Mean 


Date of ex- 


depth 


amination. 


of wa- 




ter. 




Feet. 


Aug. 19,1909 


13.0 


Aug. 20,1909 


12.5 


do 


14.0 


do 


11.5 


do 


13.0 


do 


14.0 


do 


9.5 


do 


17.0 


do 


11.0 


do 


9.0 


do 


16.0 


Aug. 19,1909 


12.0 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


5.4 


12.7 


4.6 


6.2 


23.1 


1.9 


10.4 


54.3 


8.3 


7.7 


11.5 


9.6 


6.7 


9.6 


.8 


8.1 


9.2 


1.2 


2.1 


8.8 


7.5 


10.9 


23.6 


.9 


7.3 


12.1 


2.8 


1.2 


5.8 


4.2 


4.5 


15.9 


.5 


.0 


.8 


1.3 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



Dense 

do 

do 

do 

Scattering 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Very scattering. 

do 

Depleted • 



142 
170 
410 
201 

92 
102 
136 
186 
129 

81 
109 

18 



LONG SHOAL ROCK. 

This triangular bed flanks a shoal, ebbing bare in many places, 
which extends eastwardly from Point of Shoals light-house for a 
distance of upward of 1^ miles. As understood in this report, its 
boundary is an imaginary line running from Point of Shoals light 
toward Jail Island at an average distance of about 300 to 400 yards 
from the crest of the shoal, as far as the swash channel opening toward 
the northwest, along the edge of this channel to its mouth, and thence 
to the starting point. The main body of the rock, therefore, lies 
north of the crest of the bar. Its condition and extent about the 
beginning of September, 1909, were as follows: 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



49 



Oyster Growth on Long Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

331 

10 

84 

79 


Bushels. 

241 

64 

60 

16 


Bushels. 
79, 771 
640 






5,040 
1,264 








Total 


504 




86,715 









A dense growth of small oysters, with a good proportion of larger 
ones in a few spots, covers the major part of the bed. At various 
places the total growth varies between 148 and 364 bushels per acre, 
and it is estimated that at the beginning of the season a tonger could 
take about 28 bushels per day. 

The scattering growth is comprised in one small spot about 100 to 
200 yards from the light-house, where about 9 bushels per day may be 
taken. 

The very scattering growth lies in two small patches along the 
western border of the bed and a larger area south of the ridge is con- 
tinuous with similar bottom on Point of Shoals Rock. It is capable of 
yielding between 6 and 7 bushels per day. The depleted area lies 
south of the outer half of the ridge, with a small patch on the swash 
channel. It is practically bare of oysters and shells. 

The areas bearing oysters in dense and scattering growth are cov- 
ered with a supply of shells amply sufficient to serve the purposes of 
cultch. The small patches of very scattering growth are also fairly 
covered, but the large area south of the ridge and the depleted area 
adjoining are deficient. 

The following observations were made: 

Details of Examination of Long Shoal Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


295 


Aug. 24,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Aug. 25,1909 
Sept. 11,1909 

do 

Aug. 24,1909 

do 

Sept. 11,1909 
Aug. 24,1909 
Sept. 11,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
8.0 
10.0 
12.5 
6.5 
6.5 
7.5 
8.0 
6.0 
5.0 
5.0 
6.0 
11.0 
9.0 
4.0 
8.5 
6.5 
7.0 
7.0 
6.0 
6.0 




25.8 

20.4 

11.9 

22.8 

19.2 

20.3 

19.7 

40.7 

.0 

19.7 

1.1 

6.1 

2.1 

3.9 

1.4 

.0 

1.3 

.0 

.2 

.5 


29.7 

25.4 

13.4 

17.1 

10.0 

7.3 

25.8 

30.7 

4.6 

21.4 

6.6 

4.5 

3.3 

3.2 

1.1 

1.1 

3.4 

.5 

.5 

.5 


2.3 

.4 

9.6 

2.5 

12.5 

.7 

.0 

.0 

13.1 

.0 

2.3 

1.9 

4.2 

.0 

2.5 

.5 

.3 

.3 

. 2 

.2 


Bushels. 
308 


296 


do 


237 


298 


do... 


232 


299 


do... 


230 


300 


do 


283 


301 


do 


148 


313 


. .do 


232 


318 
322 


do 

.do.. 


364 
164 


529 
541 
297 


do 

Scattering 


210 

64 
74 


312 


do 


72 


538 
307 


do 


36 
39 


528 




11 


534 


.do 


27 


535 


.do . 


6 


539 


.do . 


6 


540 


do 


7 



50 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

V ROCK. 

This bed takes it name from the shape of a bare shoal near its 
southwestern edge. It is inshore of the preceding rock and adjoins 
Swash Rock to the southeast. 

The area and character of growth on the bed are epitomized in the 
following table : 

Oyster Growth on V Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

240 

73 

73 


Bushels. 

227 

84 

15 


Bushels. 
54 480 




6 132 




1,095 




Total 


386 




61 707 









The dense area occupies the middle belt of the bed and carries a 
growth of between 144 and 344 bushels per acre, the average estimated 
yield per day to the tonger being about 21 bushels. 

The very scattering growth lies along the northwestern edge of the 
bed and on a comparatively shallow ridge along the swash channel 
near its mouth. It bears oysters in a quantity to yield about 7 
bushels per acre. 

The depleted area adjoins similar bottom on Swash Rock and is 
practically bare of both oysters and shells. The supply of shells on 
the rest of the bed is ample to secure their reseeding under proper 
conditions. 

The data for the bed are as follows: 

Details op Examination op V Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 





Mean 


Date of ex- 


depth 


amination. 


of wa- 




ter. 




Feet. 


Aug. 20,1909 


9.0 


do 


12.5 


do 


10.5 


Aug. 23,1909 


12.5 


Aug. 24,1909 


9.5 


do 


7.5 


do 


6.5 


do 


15.5 


do 


10.0 


do 


9.5 


do 


10.0 


do 


10.0 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


31.8 


16.5 


1.7 


10.8 


45.7 


.4 


20.6 


19.4 


.0 


4.4 


15.2 


9.6 


21.7 


10.4 


.8 


18.3 


10.0 


.0 


47.7 


19.7 


.0 


13.9 


14.6 


4.8 


22.5 


18.7 


.8 


2.5 


7.9 


2.9 


1.3 


.4 


2.1 


.0 


.0 


.0 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 



229 
235 
236 
268 
303 
304 
305 
306 
317 
302 
315 
316 



Dense. 
....do. 



do 

do 

do 

do 

....do 

....do 

....do 

Very scattering . 

Depleted 

do 



Bushels. 
265 
293 
204 
203 
173 
144 
344 
197 
219 
84 
31 




OYSTER BEDS OP JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



51 



MOORES ROCK. 

The bed known to the oystermen by this name lies on a shoal 
surrounded by deep water about halfway between Point of Shoals 
Light-House and Mulberry Point. It consists principally of bottom 
bearing a dense growth, with a scattering fringe along the southern 
half of its western edge. Its general extent and condition are as 
follows : 

Oyster Growth on Moores Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

37 

6 


Bushels. 
265 
168 


Bushels. 
9,805 




1,008 








Total 


43 




10, 813 







On the dense area the oysters, as developed by the survey, range 
between 134 and 351 bushels per acre, and it is estimated that the 
bottom as a whole will produce about 28 bushels of oysters per day 
of tonging. 

The area of scattering growth lies in the deeper water close to the 
adjoining barren bottom, and its estimated yield to the tonger is 
about 8 bushels per day. The deposit of shells is good over the 
entire area of the bed. 

Details of Examination of Moores Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


241 


Aug. 20,1909 
Aug. 23,1909 

do 

.....do 

Aug. 20,1909 


Feet. 
9.5 

10.5 
6.5 
5.5 

20.5 




33.4 
19.6 
28.3 
13.3 

10.4 


35.4 
19.2 
33.4 
13.0 

12.5 


0.0 

2.5 

3.3 

.0 

.0 


Bushels. 
351 


265 


do 


225 


266 


do 


350 


267 


do 


134 


242 




168 













HORSEHEAD ROCK. 

This bed covers several shoals along the edge of deep water south 
of Mulberry Point, and for the purpose of this report is considered to 
include a small patch close to the Baylor line to the eastward. The 
apex of the bed is detached, but the remainder is continuous, though 
of varying productiveness. East of this rock and north of Marshy 
Island Rock the survey found small patches of oysters close to the 
Baylor line, adjoining or included in various planted beds. This re- 
gion is shown on the charts, included within red lines but without 
shading. 



52 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The general distribution of oysters on Horsehead Rock is as 
follows : 

Oyster Growth on Horsehead Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

33 
192 
139 

16 


Bushels. 

223 

104 

112 




Bushels. 
7,359 




19, 968 
15, 568 













Total 


380 




42,895 







The areas of dense growth are on the terminal isolated shoal and 
in two small patches on the main part of the bed. The growth 
varies between 178 and 283 bushels per acre, and it is estimated that 
the area as a whole will yield an average of 20 bushels per day to the 
tonger at the beginning of the season. 

On the areas of scattering oysters the density of growth is between 
47 and 170 bushels per acre, and it is estimated that they are capable 
of yielding, at the beginning of the season, an average of about 7 
bushels per day per tonger. 

On the bottom which is rated as carrying a very scattering growth 
the average per acre is slightly higher than on the preceding, but as 
the water is deeper it is less productive in its return per day of labor 
expended on it. 

The depleted bottom lies inshore, close to Mulberry Point, and is 
practically, in many cases absolutely, bare of oysters and almost as 
deficient in shells. On all other areas the deposit of shells is good 
or fair. "^ 

Details op Examination of Horsehead Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 





Mean 


Date of ex- 


depth 


amination. 


of wa- 




ter. 




Feet. 


Aug. 23,1909 


14.0 


do 


7.0 


do 


16.0 


do 


7.0 


do 


18.5 


do 


9.0 


do 


12.0 


do 


7.0 


do 


12.0 


Aug. 24,1909 


4.5 


Aug. 23,1909 


16.0 


Aug. 24,1909 


6.0 


do 


5.5 


do 


5.0 


do 


4.5 


do 


5.0 


do 


7.5 



Character of growth. 



Oysters caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


19.3 


35.4 


0.4 


16.5 


22.7 


.3 


6.5 


29.6 


4.1 


9.1 


24.5 


.6 


4.1 


6.4 


10.9 


6.5 


16.9 


1.'2 


5.4 


15.1 


.5 


8.1 


5.9 


.3 


7.1 


12.5 


.4 


.4 


5.6 


1.1 


4.5 


16.3 


.5 


.0 


.0 


.3 


.0 


.2 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 


.0 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



256 
257 
258 
263 
255 
259 
261 
262 
264 
273 
260 
274 
280 
291 
292 
293 
294 



Dense 

do 

do 

do 

Scattering 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

Very scattering. 

Depleted 

...ido 



.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Bushels. 



283 

203 

227 

178 

170 

122 

110 

74 

104 

47 

112 

4 

1 











OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
DEEPWATER SHOALS ROCK. 



53 



This is considered as including all oyster bottoms within the Bay- 
lor lines above Mulberry Point. Its condition and extent are as 
follows : 

Oyster Growth on Deepwater Shoal Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

17 

21 

241 


Bushels. 

129 

57 

12 


Bushels. 
2,193 




1,097 




2,892 






Total 


279 




6,182 









The comparatively small productive area on this bed all lies within 
a radius of about 1,000 yards of Deepwater Shoals Light-House, 
most of it being in the immediate vicinity of the light. The dense 
area is in two small patches on which there is a sufficient growth to 
yield an average maximum of about 15 bushels per day of actual 
tonging. 

The very scattering areas are three in number, all more or less 
intimately associated with the preceding. They should yield about 
6 bushels per day at the beginning of the season. 

The depleted area is practically devoid of oysters. On the areas 
of dense and very scattering growth there is a good covering of shells, 
and they are also found in ample numbers on the depleted area 
within a radius of 1,000 or 1,200 yards of the light, but elsewhere the 
bed is practically denuded. 

The following examinations were made: 

Details op Examination op Deepwater Shoals Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 



Date of ex- 
amination. 



Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 



Character of growth. 



Oyst 


ers caught per 


square yard. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


4.6 


12.6 


0.3 


2.1 


12.9 


5.8 


1.2 


17.0 


.9 


1.2 


7.3 


.0 


.0 


.8 


4.2 


.0 


7.7 


3.3 


.9 


4.9 


3.0 


.3 


2.9 


.6 


.0 


.2 


.0 


.3 


1.5 


.0 


.7 


2. 2 


.0 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



270 
285 
272 
284 
286 
288 
271 
282 
283 
287 



Aug. 23,1909 

....do 

Aug. 24,1909 
Aug. 23,1909 
Aug. 24,1909 

do 

....do 

Aug. 23,1909 
Aug. 24,1909 

do 

....do 



Feet. 
4.0 
9.0 
8.0 
5.0 
10.0 
8.0 
7.0 
6.0 
5.0 
6.0 
7.0 



Dense 

....do 

....do 

Very scattering. 

....do 

do 

do 

Depleted 

....do 

do 

do 



Bushels. 

91 

1.38 

158 

44 

49 

74 

62 

23 

1 

9 

15 



54 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



ROCK WHARF SHOALS ROCK. 

This bed lies near the western end of Public Ground No. 1, Isle of 
Wight County, across the river from the group of seed beds previously 
described. It forms two patches surrounding shoals and consists 
principally of productive bottom, as shown in the following table: 

Oyster Growth on Rock Wharf Shoals Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 
18 
8 


BushcU. 

140 

11 


Bushels. 
2,520 




88 








Total 


26 




2,608 









The dense area should yield an average of about 22 bushels of 
oysters per day, and is fairly covered with clean shells. The de- 
pleted bottom is practically bare of both oysters and shells. 

Details op Examination op Rock Wharf Shoals Rock. 



Station 
num- 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


421 


Aug. 28,1909 

do 

do 


Feet. 
4 
6 
3 




7.3 
11.3 

.0 


13.6 

15.7 

.2 


2.1 
1.4 
.9 


Bushels. 
129 


422 

420 


do 

Depleted 


152 
- 11 



BEDS BETWEEN ROCK WHARF SHOALS AND SPINDLE ROCK. 

These cover the largest area of productive bottom in the ground, 
distributed in three patches. Their aggregate area and extent are 
as follows: 

Oyster Growth on Beds Between Rock Wharf Shoals and Spindle Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 

45 

5 

37 


Bushels. 
140 
46 
18 


Bushels. 
6,300 




230 




666 








Total 


87 




7,196 









The dense areas are close to the shoal spots and in various places 
bear from 101 to 178 bushels per acre, the average density being 
sufficient to yield about 22 bushels per day to the tonger. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



55 



The bottom of very scattering growth covers but a small spot at 
the outer end of the middle shoal, and the density of growth is suffi- 
cient to yield barely 5 bushels of seed oysters per day. 

The depleted bottom is practically denuded. It bears very few 
shells, and the very scattering bottom is little better in this respect, 
but the shell deposit on the dense .areas is good. 

Details op Examination of Beds Between Rock Wharf Shoals and Spindle 

Rock. 



Station 


Date of ex- 
amination. 


Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 
quantity 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


acre. 


409 


Aug. 28,1909 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 


Feet. 
4.0 
6.0 
7.0 
5.0 
3.5 
7.5 
6.5 
7.0 




8.6 

17.0 

9.2 

9.4 

6.2 

.5 

.3 

.0 


18.2 

10.0 

9.0 

20.0 

8.4 

3.1 

1.3 

.3 


1.0 

.8 
2.6 
2.6 
2.5 
2.6 
1.3 
1.3 


Bushels. 

147 


417 


..do 


146 


418 


.do 


121 


419 


do 


178 


425 


do 


101 


424 




46 


410 
416 


Depleted 

.do 


22 

15 









SPINDLE ROCK. 



This bed follows the line of a shoal at right angles to the shores. It 
consists principally of a dense growth, with insignificant areas of very 
scattering oysters and depleted bottom at its inner end. Its area 
and condition at the time of the survey were as follows : 



Oyster Growth on Spindle Rock. 



Character of growth. 


Area. 


Oysters 
per acre. 


Estimated 
total con- 
tent of 
oysters. 




Acres. 
14 
3 
2 


Bushels. 
140 
27 
12 


Bushels. 
1.960 




81 




24 








Total 


19 




2,065 









The dense area bears a growth of between 119 and 179 bushels per 
acre, and is capable of producing about 21 bushels of oysters per day's 
tonging; the area of very scattering growth will yield barely 5 
bushels and the depleted bottom about 2 bushels. The area of dense 
growth bears a good supply of shells, that of very scattering growth 
hardly enough to insure reseeding except under the best conditions, 
while the depleted bottom is deficient. 



56 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

The following examinations were made: 

Details of Examination or Spindle Rock. 



Station 
num- 
ber. 



415 
426 
427 
411 
412 



Date of ex- 
amination. 



Aug. 28,1909 

....do 

....do 

....do 

....do 



Mean 
depth 
of wa- 
ter. 



Feet. 
6.0 
4.0 
6.0 
4.0 
4.5 



Character of growth. 



Dense 

do 

do 

Very scattering 
Depleted 



Oysters caught per 
square yard. 



Spat. Culls. Counts 



7.7 
8.' 8 
7.4 
1.3 
.0 



19.7 
14.0 
13.6 
2.6 



3.7 

.4 

1.1 

.7 
.7 



Estimated 

quantity 

oysters per 

acre. 



Bushels. 



179 
120 
119 
27 
12 



DAYS POINT SHOAL BED. 

This follows a shoal but part of which is included in the public 
ground. The part included embraces a dense growth capable of 
yielding to the tonger about 27 bushels of oysters per day. The 
following is the result of the examination made : 

Details of Examination of Days Point Shoal Rock. 



Sta- 
tion 


Date of 
examination. 


Mean 

depth 

of 

water. 


Character of growth. 


Oysters caught per 
square yard. 


Estimated 
quantity 
. oysters 
per acre. 


ber. 


Spat. 


Culls. 


Counts. 


413 


Aug. 28,1909 


Feet. 

4.5 




7.2 


22.3 


1.5 


Bushels. 
166 









PUBLIC GROUNDS. 

The public oyster grounds of Virginia are those areas of the bot- 
toms of tide water which are included within the lines of the Baylor 
survey and additions thereto upon which the public is permitted 
to take oysters at certain seasons of the year on compliance with cer- 
tain conditions, and which are withheld from lease for purposes of 
oyster culture under private and exclusive control. 

The public grounds were designed to include all of the natural rocks, 
though, as has been explained previously, no actual examination 
was made for the purpose of really determining the facts. The 
boundaries are necessarily straight lines and do not purport to con- 
form to the outlines of the actual rocks, and largely for this reason 
they can not fail to include within their confines more or less barren 
bottom. The relation which the barren bottoms bear to that which 
actually produces oysters has been in more or less acrimonious dis- 
pute between the tongers and dredgers on the one hand and the 
planters and their partisans on the other, and it was largely to 
secure authentic and definite information on this point that the 
present survey was undertaken. 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. J) 7 

The public grounds are officially designated by numbers and the 
name of the county within which they are supposed to lie, and on 
the accompanying charts their boundaries, accurately platted from 
the charts of the Baylor survey, are indicated by broken black lines. 
The boundaries of the natural rocks, as determined by the present 
survey, are shown in solid red lines, within which the varying density 
of oyster growth is shown by the relative density of the shading. 
An inspection of the charts will show that the natural rocks are more 
or less scattered, between and about them lying barren bottoms, 
shown as unshaded areas, within the boundaries of the Baylor survey. 

At various places it was found that certain private grounds, as 
indicated by the' boundary stakes, encroached more or less on the 
public grounds, though from the flimsy character of the marks it was 
difficult in many cases to determine the real facts. This apparent 
encroachment of private interests on the public domain was observed 
at various places in Nansemond River, between Fishing Point and 
Ballards Marsh, about Creek Channel Shoal and Aaron Shoal rocks, 
in the vicinity of Browns Shoal rocks, at the inshore edges of Kettle 
Hole and Blunt Point rocks, and at various places between Jail Island 
and Mulberry Point. 

Whatever may have been the conditions under which this en- 
croachment was originally permitted, it was undoubtedly aided by 
the latter-day uncertainty as to the Baylor boundaries. Apparently 
but little effort has been made to maintain or replace the shore 
marks to which the corners of the Baylor survey were referred, and 
a number of them appear to be now unavailable for reference. The 
irregularity of the boundaries has also made the maintenance of the 
lines more difficult, and the same conditions have made it almost 
impossible for the oyster police to prevent the planters from depre- 
dating the public beds beyond their staked boundaries. 

These reasons have made it important to both "natural growthers" 
and planters that an examination should be made into the actual 
location of the productive areas or those which, though at present 
more or less unproductive, may be reasonably expected to recuperate 
under proper natural conditions. 

To assist to an understanding of the conditions on the public 
beds as a whole the following discussion is offered. The several 
public beds in the region surveyed are considered with regard to the 
relative areas of dense, scattered, very scattered, and depleted 
growths, and barren bottom. The first four are measured from the 
results of the present survey, while the barren bottom is regarded 
as the difference between the sum of these areas and the areas of the 
public beds according to Baylor's computations, the data being ex- 
hibited in tabular form for each of the several public grounds. For 
each public ground or for each fraction or combination considered 
as an entity in the following pages, there are furnished tables and 



58 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

summaries of the estimated total contents of market oysters, as 
distributed by rocks and varying densities of growth. These esti- 
mates are interesting, but are misleading if regarded as a measure of 
productiveness, for a very sparse growth over a large area, as compared 
with a dense growth over a small one, will give a great aggregate 
which really represents nothing commercially, as the oysters may 
be so thinly scattered as to be totally unavailable industrially. 

The important point is not how many oysters there may be on 
a given bed at a given time, but the quantity of oysters available 
under existing local economic conditions, the maximum number 
of bushels that can be removed with profit to the tonger. 

It is unnecessary to explain to those familiar with the oyster 
industry that it is practically impossible to accomplish a complete 
denudation of the beds in any one season, but there are cases known 
to the writer, though he has no personal knowledge of the kind in 
the region under discussion, in which small rocks have been, in effect, 
taken up bodily, oysters, seed, and shells, and transferred to planted 
beds. 

Under ordinary circumstances, in localities where the cull laws 
can be and are reasonably enforced, not only the seed or young 
oysters but a considerable proportion of the market oysters are left 
on the be'ds at the end of the season. Eventually, however, the 
oysters become so scattered that the daily yield to the tonger be- 
comes less than a minimum daily wage, and while the aggregate 
quantity of marketable oysters left on the beds appears large when 
expressed in a total of bushels, as in the tables of total contents, it 
will no longer pay to take them. The minimum average density of 
growth to which a bed may be reduced before becoming commer- 
cially unproductive depends primarily upon the price of oysters. 
The smaller the market value of a bushel of oysters the greater is 
the quantity that must be taken per day to furnish a living wage. 
Another factor that is essentially involved is the amount of culling 
required, less labor being necessary in handling the oysters when 
they are single or in small clusters than when they are badly clustered 
and overgrown with young, from which they must be separated 
before being placed on the market. 

The depth of water is also a very important factor in determining 
the actual density of growth necessary to render a bed commercially 
productive. As has been explained in describing the methods pur- 
sued in the preparation of this report, the deeper the water the 
greater must be the quantity of oysters per square yard or acre 
necessary to afford the tonger a given catch per day. Not only do 
his tongs of any given length of shaft and head cover a smaller area 
on the bottom, but the time and labor of making the "grab " — that is, 
putting the tongs on the bottom, scraping up the oysters, and pulling 
them up — are materially increased. In other words, in deep water 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 59 

not only is the area covered by a "grab" smaller, but, other things 
being equal, fewer "grabs" can be made in an hour than in a smaller 
depth. 

In the tables shown in this report and on the chart these factors 
have all been considered in estimating the relative density of the 
beds. In the estimation of the available contents of the rocks 
as exhibited in the following tables the same factors have been con- 
sidered. It is assumed that, at the price which has recently been 
received for market oysters in the region under consideration — 
namely, 45 cents per bushel — it would be wholly unprofitable to 
tong on bottoms which would yield less than 3 bushels of culled oysters 
per day, exclusive of the time spent in culling, which would ordi- 
narily involve part of the time of a second man or boy. In the same 
way at the price of seed oysters, namely 30 cents per bushel, it is 
assumed to be equally unprofitable to tong on bottoms yielding less 
than 4 bushels, exclusive of shells. 

It can not be argued that this limit is too high, but undoubtedly 
it will be claimed by some that it is entirely too low. The objection 
would be well founded if it were to apply wholly to areas on which 
the initial density of growth was such as to afford the minimum yield 
adopted, but it will not lie against the application of the standard to 
areas of greater initial productiveness. A dense bed in course of 
partial denudation by tonging is not uniformly depleted over its whole 
area. The tongers spread themselves more or less promiscuously 
over the rocks and take up practically all of the oysters in patches, 
while other areas are, for the time being, inadvertently left untouched. 
Later many of these untouched spots are tonged with profit, until the 
worked areas become so great in proportion to those which have been 
overlooked that the time spent in searching for the latter makes fur- 
ther work unremunerative. At this stage of temporary abandon- 
ment the rock consists of a few small patches of productive bottom, 
areas which are practically bare of market oysters, and others which 
have been worked over but still retain some oysters scattered over 
them by the operations of tonging. It is of course impossible, from 
the complexity and irregularity of the conditions obtaining on an 
oyster bed, to fix a limit of more than reasonable accuracy. In pre- 
paring the following tables the present available productiveness of 
each area has been considered with regard to the terms of its initial 
yield to the tonger and its total estimated contents above that which 
would give a return of 3 bushels per day's work on the market oyster 
beds and 4 bushels on the seed beds. The depleted areas and most 
of the areas covered by what is called very scattered growth are there- 
fore negligible as present factors. A very few areas in the depleted 
bottoms and a somewhat greater proportion of the bottoms bearing 
a very scattering growth are of potential value as bearing small 
oysters and shells which reasonably assure future regeneration. 



60 



OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



These are pointed out in the following discussion of the several 
public grounds: 

PUBLIC GROUNDS NO. 2 NANSEMOND COUNTY AND NO. 6 ISLE OF 

WIGHT COUNTY. 

These two grounds overlap, as platted on the state charts, and as 
they can not be accurately differentiated in the conflicting area they 
may be most conveniently considered together. The former bed 
begins at the upper limit of oyster growth in the Nansemond River 
off Cedar Point, and becoming continuous with No. 6 near Newport 
News Rock, the latter extends along the right side of the James River 
to beyond Ballards Marsh Rock. Ground No. 2 is said to contain 
3,319.6 acres, and Ground No. 6, 4,148.2 acres, a total of 7,467.8; but 
there is an -overlap or duplication of about 305 acres, and deducting 
this, the actual total area of the two beds may be assumed to be about 
7,162.8 acres. The following is a resume of the extent of the oyster 
bottoms of the several rocks and the barren bottom embraced within 
the limits of these grounds : 

Areas of Oyster Growth in Public Grounds No. 2 Nansemond County and 
No. 6 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of oyster rock. 



Oyster growth. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very 
scatter- 
ing. 



Depleted, 



Total. 



Larkins 

Nansemond Ridge 

Drum Shoal 

Newport News 

Cruiser Shoal 

Between Nansemond Ridge and Fishing Point a. 

High shoal 

Trout Shoal 

Dog Shoal 

Fishing Point 

Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh 

Ballards Marsh 



Acres. 

85 

4 
27 
50 
24 

16 
45 
5 




Acres. 


446 
19 
27 
19 


13 
25 
11 
77 



4 



Acres. 



294 

14 

12 

26 

5 
24 
14 
35 
47 

8 
33 



Acres. 

39 
782 

95 
129 

32 
7 

95 

90 
120 

90 

18 
142 



Acres. 

39 
1,607 
128 
172 
104 

62 
156 
129 
182 
259 

31 
179 



Total oyster area. 
Total barren bottom... 



256 



641 



512 



3,048 
4,114. 



Total Baylor survey. 



a 8 acres undetermined. 



It will be observed from this table that the barren bottom, as de- 
veloped by this survey, exceeds the area of the oyster rocks and con- 
stitutes about 57 per cent of the area of the two public grounds under 
discussion. The depleted bottom, which, excepting the places noted 
in the detailed descriptions of the several beds, is at present unpro- 
ductive and of a character that gives little or no promise of future 
regeneration, forms about 23 per cent of the total area included 
within the Baylor lines. Assuming that the areas of very scattering 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



61 



growth, at present practically worthless so far as actual productive- 
ness is concerned, are capable of coming into production at some time 
in the future, by virtue of the young growth and clean shells that 
they bear, it will be seen that the actual productive oyster rocks 
form only about 20 per cent of the area of these two public grounds. 
The estimated total marketable contents of the grounds, based 
upon the distribution of oysters as indicated by the chain, and the 
actual productiveness of the various areas as determined by actual 
count and measurement, is exhibited in the following table: 

Content of Market Oysters, Public Grounds No. 2 Nansemond-County and 
No. 6 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of rock. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very 
scatter- 
ing. 



Depleted. 



Total. 



Larkins 

Nansemond Ridge 

Drum 

Newport News 

Cruiser Shoal 

Flat Rock, etc 

High Shoal 

Trout Shoal 

Dog Shoal 

Fishing Point 

Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh. 
Ballards Marsh 



Bushels 



Bushels. 



Bushels. 



7,905 



432 
4,212 
5,400 
2,160 



26, 760 

950 

1,701 

1,007 



1,664 
5, 355 
1,340 



624 


1,100 


' 507 


6,314 



124 



10,878 
546 
420 
728 
210 
600 
420 
945 
2,068 
248 
792 



Bushels. 

195 

8,602 

2,755 

3,483 

288 

182 

807 

720 

1,416 

1,710 



Bushels. 
195 
54, 145 
4,251 
6,036 
6,235 
5,792 
4,191 
2,240 
4,532 
15, 447 
1,588 
1,810 



Total 28, 468 



39, 087 17, 855 



21,052 



106, 462 



This indicates that if it were possible to "clean up" completely 
the entire area covered by the oyster rocks, the product would be 
about 106,000 bushels of marketable oysters. When an analysis is 
made, it is speedily apparent that the commercially available supply 
on these beds is only about 40 per cent of the foregoing, as stated in 
the following table: 

Available Content of Market Oysters, Public Grounds No. 2 Nansemond 
County and No. 6 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of rock. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very 
scatter- 
ing. 



Total. 



Larkins 

Nansemond Ridge 

Drum 

Newport News 

Cruiser Shoal 

Flat Rock, etc 

High Shoal 

Trout Shoal 

Dog Shoal 

Fishing Point 

Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh. 
Ballards Marsh 



Bushels. 



Bushels. 



Bushels. 



Bushels. 



Total. 



5,500 



350 
3,400 
3,600 
1,500 



13,500 
400 
850 
700 



1,000 
100 



1,200 
4,400 
1,200 



350 

600 

250 

3,600 



100 



75 



300 

"ioo" 



20, 000 

500 

1,200 

4,100 

3,600 

1, 950 

600 

1,450 

8,300 

1,200 

175 



21, 150 20, 325 



1,600 



43, 075 



62 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

It will be observed that on the basis assumed in this report the 
depleted areas are wholly unproductive commercially, and the 
bottoms covered with very scattered growth are practically so. On 
the latter the growth in many cases is barely sufficient to yield 3 
bushels per day, and in no case does it much exceed that limit. The 
large aggregate of market oysters on the areas of very scattered and 
depleted bottoms are so thinly distributed as to be unavailable 
commercially, and are therefore valueless except as brood stock to 
assist in furnishing spat for replenishing the beds. On the dense 
areas about three-fourths of the total contents and on the scattering: 
growths about one-half may be taken with profit. 

The total estimated available product of 43,075 bushels appears 
very small as compared with the area included within the Baylor 
lines, averaging but about 6 bushels per acre. It is about half of the 
average yield of marketable oysters on the public grounds of the 
State as a whole in 1901 and 1904, according to the statistics of the 
Bureau of Fisheries, and about equal to the average yield in 1908, as 
stated by the Bureau of the Census. 

The deficiency in productiveness of this section was to be expected 
in view of public report. The beds, especially in Nansemond River, 
are generally recognized as being seriously depleted, the allegation of 
the tongers being that several years ago large quantities of unculled 
stock were taken from the beds for deposit on private planting ground, 
and the tonger employed by the survey is authority for the statement 
that the growth on the Nansemond River beds in the season preceding 
the investigation was hardly sufficient to warrant tonging. 

Combining the exhibits of the tables of areas and of commercially 
available oysters, we find that it apparently would be profitable to 
take from the dense growths about 83 bushels per acre and from the 
scattering growths an average of about 32 bushels. On the bottoms 
with a very scattering growth the average content per acre at the 
beginning of the present oyster season was so small that, even under 
the very low standard of profit adopted in this report, the beds would 
be reduced to unproductiveness after an average of only about 3 
bushels of oysters per acre had been removed. Of course a very large 
part of this bottom must be regarded as practically unproductive 
in the beginning, and it is only here and there that even the least 
ambitious tonger would venture to work. 

Another aspect of the present state of these grounds is the production 
of young oysters and the presence of shells in such quantities and 
cleanliness as to afford prospect of a strike under proper conditions. 
The following table gives the estimated total content of the several 
rocks and of the grounds as a whole in oysters less than 3 inches long : 



OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 63 

Total Content of Young or Seed Oysters, Public Grounds No. 2 Nansemond 
County and No. 6 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of rock. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 



Very 
scatter- 
ing. 



Depleted. 



Total. 



Larkins 

Nansemond Ridge. 
Drum. 



Newport News 

Cruiser Shoal 

Flat Rock, etc 

High Shoal 

Trout Shoal 

Dog Shoal 

Fishing Point 

Between Fishing Point and Ballards Marsh. 
Ballards Marsh 



Bush. 



Bush. 



12,580 



Total 31, 818 



372 
3,780 

150 
3,216 



59,318 

1,748 

2,025 

893 



2,480 

8,325 

915 



1,651 
4,112 
1,989 
13, 706 




80,050 



Bush. 



854 

996 
1,326 

275 
1,392 
1,652 

770 

3,290 



6,303 



26,854 



Bush. 

390 

27,370 

5,890 

4,386 

2,112 

112 

760 

1,890 

4,838 

2,700 



6,590 



57,038 



Bush . 

390 

109, 264 

8,492 

7,779 

8,111 

537 

7,019 

7,654 

10,077 

28, 021 

915 

13,501 



201, 7C0 



In individuals the small oysters are five or six times as numerous 
as the market oysters and in measured quantity they are about 
twice as abundant. On the dense areas they bulk about the same as 
the market oysters, but as individuals they are two or three times as 
many. On the scattered area they much exceed the market 
oysters in numbers and are more than double them in measured 
quantity. As both of these types of bottom are almost invariably 
supplied with cultch in the form of clean shells, it can be safely 
assumed that their future is assured under ordinarily fair conditions 
and provided the beds are not stripped under infractions of the 
culling law. 

On the area of very scattering growth the quantity of young in 
nearly every case materially exceeds that of market oysters. Almost 
the sole exception is Nansemond Ridge Rock, where the young and 
market oysters are about equal in quantity, the former being de- 
cidedly deficient in all places excepting close to the denser areas 
below a line between Pig and Barrel points. 

Excepting Nansemond Ridge Rock the very scattering areas bear 
an average of about two and one-half times as many bushels of 
young as of old oysters per acre, and there is nearly everywhere a 
sufficient abundance of shells to justify the prediction of future 
regeneration if man will permit. On Nansemond Ridge the fu- 
ture of the very scattering areas, except in a few places, appears 
unpromising. 

The depleted area is, on the whole, deficient in shells" and young 
oysters, and if we except one or two spots near Nansemond Light, 
the outer end of Ballards Marsh Rock, and several other places 
quite close to the productive areas, there is but little probability 
that any of the area will become naturally productive. 
20201—10 5 



64 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



PUBLIC GROUND NO. 1 WARWICK COUNTY, BELOW DEEP CREEK. 

This public ground, while continuous in its lines from near New- 
port News to above Deepwater Shoals Light, is divided, for purposes 
of administration, by a line running from Deep Creek to Days Point. 
Below this line the cull law is in force and tonging is practically 
confined to taking oysters for the market, while above the line it is 
legally permissible to take oysters of all sizes for planting purposes. 
The total area of the portion of the bed here discussed is about 
5,515 acres. It embraces six well-defined rocks or groups of rocks, 
the general condition and area of which are shown in the following 
table, which also includes a very small contiguous and overlapping 
area at the inshore edge of Kettle Hole Rock, known as Public 
Ground No. 2 Warwick County: 



Areas of Oyster Growth, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick County, 

Deep Creek. 



Below 



Name of oyster rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Acres. 
68 
6 
258 
76 
16 
44 


Acres. 
44 

66 
118 
69 



Acres. 
27 
16 
111 
100 
225 
10 


Acres. 

226 

4 

11 

127. 

118 

52 


Acres. 
365 




26 


Kettle Hole . 


446 




421 


Blunt Point 


428 


White Shoal 


106 








468 


297 


489 


538 


1,792 




3,723 
























5,515 















As shown above, the barren bottom is equal to about 68 per cent 
of the area included within the Baylor lines, while the depleted area, 
which is almost uniformly worthless in its present condition, is equal 
to about 10 per cent. Assuming, as has been done in the discussion 
of the preceding grounds, that the bottom bearing a very scattering 
growth, of little or no present value so far as its market-oyster con- 
tent is concerned, is capable of regeneration under the operation of 
natural agencies, the total present or prospective productive bottom 
constitutes about 22 per cent of the entire area. The following table 
shows the estimated present market-oyster content of the several 
rocks and their respective subdivisions according to density of 
growth : 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



65 



Content op Market Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick County, Below 

Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Bushels. 
12, 444 
912 
27,090 
8,745 
2,576 
5,588 


Bushels. 
■ 2,376 


Bushels. 
1,053 
480 
4,662 
5,100 
10, 125 
3C0 


Bushels. 
904 


Bushels. 
16,777 




1,392 


Kettle Hole 


5,412 
8,378 
4,140 




37, 164 




2, 607 

1,652 

624 


24, 890 


Blunt Point 


18.493 


White Shoal 


6,572 








Total : 


57, 355 


20,306 


21, 780 


5,847 


105,288 







The total content is nearly equal to that of the two grounds first 
described, but it will be observed that it is differently distributed, 
the dense areas bearing about twice the quantity of marketable oys- 
ters, the scattering about half as many, the very scattering about 
one-third more, and the depleted about three-fourths the quantity. 
With the exception of the depleted bottom, the average growth per 
acre is in each case somewhat greater than upon the grounds on the 
opposite side of the James and in the Nansemond River. 

As will be understood from what has gone before, this distribution 
of the total content is to the distinct advantage of the oysterman, as 
a larger proportion of the oysters may be removed before work on 
the beds becomes unremunerative. The estimated available content 
of the beds embraced within this part of the public grounds — that is, 
the probable maximum yield during the present season — is shown in 
the following table: 

Available Content op Market Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick 
County, Below Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Total. 




Bushels. 
9,800 
600 
18,900 
6,000 
2,000 
4,000 


Bushels. 
1,200 


Bushels. 
250 


Bushels. 
11,250 


Gun 


600 


Kettle Hole 


2,700 
4,200 
2,000 


800 

500 

2,000 


22,400 




10, 700 


Blunt Point 


6,000 


White Shoal 


4,000 










Total 


41,300 


10, 100 


3,550 


54,950 







Practically four-fifths of the available oysters are found on the 
areas charted as bearing a dense growth, and about two-thirds of the 
remainder are on the areas of scattering growth. The bottoms cov- 
ered by oysters in very scattering growths are slightly more produc- 
tive than the average of the grounds previously described, but there 
are comparatively few spots on which a tonger could make a mini- 
mum livelihood. It is estimated that on the dense areas as a whole 
nearly three-fourths of the total content, on the scattering areas 



66 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



about one-half, and on the very scattering areas not over one-sixth 
could be removed with profit. The depleted bottoms are worthless 
for their present product of market oysters. 

The yield per acre of bottom included within the Baylor lines is 
considerably greater than on the grounds previously described, the 
average being almost 10 bushels, 2 bushels less than the average of 
the entire public area of Virginia in 1904, and considerably more than 
the average reported by the Census Bureau in 1908. The average 
available product of the oyster rocks, excluding all barren bottom 
but not that which is depleted, is about 30 bushels per acre. The 
average of the dense area is about 88 bushels, of the scattering area 
34 bushels, and of the very scattering growth about 7 bushels per 
acre. The rocks in this ground are, on the whole, so far as present 
productiveness is concerned, in better condition than those across 
the river. The probable future productiveness of the beds, so far as 
the present existence of young oysters is concerned, is illustrated 
in the following table: 

Total Content op Young or Seed Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick 
County, Below Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Bushels. 

8,568 

1,188 

81,786 

12,768 

2,736 

14, 728 


Bushels. 
6, 248 


Bushels. 
2,376 
992 
19,980 
10, 300 
23, 625 
1,080 


Bushels. 
1,130 


Bushels. 
18,322 


Gun 


2,180 


Kettle Hole 


13, 662 

20,060 
13,317 




115.428 




10,160 
4,956 
2,756 


53,288 


Blunt Point 


44,634 


White Shoal 


18, 564 








Total 


121,774 


53, 287 


58, 353 


19,002 


252, 41G 







The exhibit here is much more favorable than on the rocks included 
n the grounds previously described, the average growth of young 
oysters on the dense and very scattering areas being over double that 
on the beds across the river, while that on the scattering area is about 
35 per cent greater. 

Practically everywhere on the areas of dense and scattered growth 
there is a prolific growth of 3 7 oung oysters and an abundance of clean 
shells, and there is no present prospect of the failure of these areas to 
continue to produce marketable oysters under ordinary conditions and 
with a reasonable enforcement of the laws. On the areas of very 
scattering growth the conditions are mixed, some places being well 
insured against the future and others being decidedly deficient in both 
young growth and clean shells. On Browns Shoal Rocks there is, with 
the exception of a few places, an abundance of shells; but there are 
only two or three patches where there is a supply of small oysters ample 
to replace the present market growth. On Kettle Hole Rock the 
conditions are good practically everywhere, but on Thomas Point and 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 67 

Blunt Point Rocks there are but a few places where the young growth 
is prolific, and there are some in which neither young nor shells are 
found in even the minimum quantity requisite. On White Shoal 
Rock the condition on the areas of very scattering growth is in 
general satisfactory. 

On the depleted bottoms as a whole the average growth of young 
oysters is about equal to that on similar bottom across the river, and 
there appears to be but little prospect of the future improvement of 
these areas, although there are a few spots on Thomas Point and White 
Shoal Rocks, in proximity to productive areas, where the growth of 
young is good. 

MINOR PUBLIC GROUNDS. 

In the Nansemond River and on the right side of James River there 
are several small public grounds, all of which are insignificant both in 
area and productiveness, and some of which were examined not at all 
or unsatisfactorily. They are as follows (somewhat more detailed 
data concerning some of them may be found in the descriptions of the 
individual rocks) : 

Nansemond County Ground No. 3. This was intended to include 
Holland Rock and at present contains in depleted bottom about 22 
acres, on which there are a very few oysters and shells and about 33.9 
acres of barren bottom. 

Isle of Wight County Ground No. 2 contains about 9 acres of bottom 
of various degrees of productiveness, 24 acres of depleted and 16.8 
acres of barren bottom. Its general condition is related in the de- 
scription of Aaron Shoal Rock, its only natural bed. Isle of Wight 
County Ground No. 3 adjoins the preceding and has an area of 6| 
acres. It was not examined in the present survey. Isle of Wight 
County Ground No. 4 lies inshore of the preceding and covers about 
3 acres of apparently depleted bottom. 

Isle of Wight County Ground No. 5 embraces Creek Channel Shoal 
Rock, covering about 2 acres of depleted and 5.1 acres of barren 
bottom. Its present condition is described under the name of the 
rock. 

PUBLIC GROUND NO. 1 WARWICK COUNTY, ABOVE DEEP CREEK. 

The lower part of this ground, lying below Deep Creek, is within 
the area from which market oysters only can be taken and is there- 
fore subject to the operations of the cull law. Its beds have been 
discussed in the foregoing. Above Deep Creek and Days Point, on 
both sides of the river, the cull law is suspended so far as young 
oysters are concerned, and, while shells must be returned to the 
beds, there is no limit on the minimum size of oysters which may 
be taken, the whole area being set apart for the production of seed 
for replanting. 



68 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



It is necessary, therefore, in the discussion of the productiveness 
of this part of the James River oyster grounds, to adopt a different 
standard of productiveness. The whole oyster product of whatever 
size is involved in the question of the present value of the beds, 
whereas in the areas previously discussed the market oysters only 
could be considered, and the quantity of young was of interest merely 
as indicating the probability of the beds being maintained or repleted. 
In the discussion which follows here the maximum potential yield is 
considered as the production in excess of that which will give the 
tonger 4 bushels of oysters per day of tonging, not taking into con- 
sideration the time employed in culling out the shells and returning 
them to the beds. 

This part of Ground No. 1 includes all oyster rocks on the left bank 
of the James River, from the mouth of Warwick River to the upper 
limit of oyster growth, near Deepwater Shoals Light-House. The 
following is a summary of the extent of the several rocks and the 
barren bottoms embraced within the Baylor lines: 

Areas of Oyster Growth, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick County, Above 

Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Acres. 
227 
586 
12G 
254 
146 
422 
197 
331 
240 
37 
33 
17 


Acres. 

198 



18 

155 



34 

322 

10 



6 

192 




Acres. 

14 



9 

239 



20 

235 

84 

73 



139 

21 


Acres. 

508 



21 

142 

115 

29 

387 

79 

73 



16 

241 


Acres. 
947 




586 




174 




790 




261 




505 




1,141 




504 


V Rock 


386 




43 




380 




279 






Total oyster area 


2, 616 


935 


834 


1,611 


5,996 
6, 896. 8 
























12, 892. 8 















It will be noticed at once that the proportion of barren bottom to 
that actually included in the rocks as determined by the survey is 
somewhat smaller than in the grounds previously discussed, consti- 
tuting about 53 per cent of the total. The depleted bottom, which, 
with practically no exceptions, is at present and potentially valueless, 
covers an additional 12 or 13 per cent, so that, assuming all the rest 
to be at present productive or capable of becoming so in the future, 
the oyster bottom covers about 35 per cent of the whole. 

The following table exhibits the estimated total content of the sev- 
eral rocks and their subdivisions at the opening of the oyster season 
on September 15, 1909: 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



69 



Total Content of Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick County, Above 

Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 



Dense. 



Scatter- Very seat- 
ing., tering. 



Depleted. 



Total. 



Jail Island 

Wreck Shoal 

Dry Shoals 

Point of Shoals 

Swash 

Mulberry Swash.. 

Marshy Island 

Long Shoal 

V Rock 

Moores 

Horsehead 

Deepwater Shoals . 



Bushels. 
32, 461 

185, 176 

30,766 

50, 800 

42, 778 

127, 444 

45, 507 

79, 771 

54, 480 

9,805 

7,359 

2,193 



Bushels. 
21, 582 



Total 668, 540 



Bushels. 
392 



Bushels. 
4,064 



2,232 
14, 415 



765 
10,038 



3,604 

41,538 

640 



2,600 
19, 975 
5,040 
6,132 



1.008 
19,968 



420 
2,130 
1,725 
1,247 
6,966 
1,264 
1,095 



15, 568 
1,097 



Bushels. 

58, 499 

185, 176 

34, 183 

77, 383 

44,503 

134, 895 

113, 98G 

86,715 

61, 707 

10, 813 

42, 895 

6,182 



61, 607 



856, 937 



It will be seen that the great preponderance of oyster production 
is on the dense areas, which exceed the bottoms of other character 
not only in their average productiveness but in their total area. The 
bottoms with a scattering growth, which in extent exceed the next 
lower grade by about 12 per cent, excel them in their total content 
by about 70 per cent, and are considerably more important in total 
production than the combined areas of very scattering oysters and 
depletion. Summarizing, the dense areas bear 78 per cent of the 
total content of the rocks, the scattering areas about 12 per cent, the 
very scattering about 7 per cent, and the depleted bottom about 3 
per cent. Basing the computation on the basis previously defined 
and the data presented in the preceding two tables, we find the esti- 
mated maximum available product of the several rocks and their 
subdivisions to be as follows: 

Available Content op Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Warwick County, Above 

Deep Creek. 



Name of rock. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Total. 



Jail Island 

Wreck Shoal.... 

Dry Shoals 

Point of Shoals . . 

Swash 

Mulberry Swash. 
Marshy Island . . . 

Long Shoal , 

VRock 

Moores 

Horsehead 

Deepwater Shoal 

Total 



Bushels. 

25,000 

160, 000 

26,000 

42,000 

3S.000 

116,000 

35, COO 

68,000 

44,000 

7,500 

6,000 

1,C00 



Bushels. 
12, 000 



Bushels. 
100 



1,300 
S,500 



1,000 



1.800 

25,000 

300 



11,000 



1,000 
7,500 
1,500 
2,500 

500 
7,000 

400 



Bushels. 
37, 100 
160, 000 
27,300 
51,500 
38,000 
118,800 
G7, 500 
69, 800 
46, 500 
8,000 
24,000 
2,000 



569, 100 



59, 900 



21,500 



650, 500 



70 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER/ VIRGINIA. 

The foregoing may be assumed to be the maximum quantity of 
seed oysters that can be profitably taken from the beds during the 
present season and the actual yield will probably fall considerably 
below the total exhibited in the table. Of the total, the areas of dense 
growth are capable of producing 88 per cent, of scattering growth 9 
per cent, and of very scattering growth 3 per cent. The estimated 
yield per acre of bottom included within the boundary lines of this 
part of the bed is about 50 bushels. This low average of production 
is of course induced by the large area of barren and depleted or prac- 
tically barren bottom included in the Baylor lines. If we compare 
the average of the whole area with that of the best bottom in the 
natural rocks under discussion the paucity of the former is equally 
impressive, the dense areas of the region under discussion having an 
average total content of about 256 bushels per acre and a promised 
yield during the present season of 213 bushels, over four times the 
average of the beds as a whole. The average available product of the 
areas of scattering growth is about 64 bushels per acre, and of very 
scattering growth about 13 bushels, both yields being far below what 
they should produce under proper conditions. 

Upon the dense areas as a whole the present production and the 
promise for the future are both good, and on the area of scattering 
growth, while the present production is fair, the quantity of shells is 
such as to promise a better yield in the future, should there come a 
season of heavy and general strike. 

On the bottoms rated as bearing a very scattering growth the con- 
ditions as a whole are not such as to yield much profit to the tonger, 
though in some places he could make a living wage for a short period. 
In most places on bottom of this character the quantity of clean 
shells is such as to give indifferent prospect of the future regeneration 
of the beds. 

The depleted bottom, excepting in a few places near Deepwater 
Shoals Light-House, bears shells in such small quantities as to make 
exceedingly remote the probability of any material improvement 
under natural conditions. 

PUBLIC GROUND NO. 1 ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY. 

This ground extends as a narrow strip along the right bank of 
James River from close to the shore line out to the main channel, 
between Rock "Wharf and Days Point Shoal. It lies wholly within 
the area set apart for seed production, and the statements in regard 
to the methods employed in computing the productiveness of the 
several parts of the preceding ground are applicable to this as well. 

Compared with the extensive areas occupied by the rocks across 
the river in Warwick County, the beds included in this ground are 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



71 



insignificant. For the purposes of this report it is considered to 
include four natural rocks, although the largest of these, for which 
no name was obtained from the oystermen, may be locally recog- 
nized by names for its constituents severally. The general condi- 
tion and extent of the bed are shown in the following table: 

Areas of Oyster Growth, Public Ground No. 1 Isle op Wight County. 



Name of oyster rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Acres. 
18 
45 
14 
4 


Acres. 






Acres. 

5 
3 



Acres. 
8' 
37 
2 



Acres. 
26 




87 




19 




4 








81 





8 


47 


136 




589 






















725 











The area of barren bottom as compared with the extent of the 
ground is relatively large, constituting about 81 per cent, and the 
depleted bottom, which is at present worthless and holds forth no 
promise of improvement, adds an additional 7 per cent to the wholly 
unproductive bottom. The area of dense growth, which is undoubt- 
edly productive, covers about 11 per cent of the whole, while the 
bottom bearing very scattered oysters, which is at present prac- 
tically incapable of yielding a living wage to the tonger, covers about 
1 per cent. 

The following table shows the estimated total content of oysters 
on the rocks at the end of August, 1909: 

Total Content of Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of rock. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Bushels. 

2,520 

6,300 

1,960 

664 


Bushels. 


Bushels. 


Bushels. 
88 
666 
24 


Bushels. 
2,608 






230 
81 


7,196 


Spindle 




2,065 






664 












Total 


11,444 




311 


778 


12,533 







The total content of the ground as a whole averages about 17 
bushels per acre. Practically all of this is borne by the small frac- 
tion of the bottom classed as dense, on which the average produc- 
tion is at the rate of about 141 bushels per acre, considerably less 
than on the areas of dense growth on the great beds across the 
channel. 



72 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



The estimated available content on these beds — that is, the quan- 
tity which may be removed before tonging will cease to pay even a 
very small assumed minimum livelihood — is as follows: 

Available Content of Oysters, Public Ground No. 1 Isle of Wight County. 



Name of rock. 



Rock Wharf Shoals 

Between Rock Wharf Shoals and Spindle Rock 

Spindle 

Days Point 

Total 



Dense. 



Bushels. 

2,000 

5,000 

1,500 

500 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Bushels. 



,000 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Bushels. 



70 



Total. 



Bushels. 

2,000 

5.050 

1,520 

500 



9,070 



Practically all of the available supply of oysters on this ground 
is therefore on the bottom classed as dense and the area of very 
scattering growth is. negligible. The available product is of the 
average density of 111 bushels per acre. On the dense area the 
shells are sufficient, on the very scattering area they are in fair quan- 
tity, while on the depleted ground they are deficient. 

SUMMARY. 

The public grounds in the region covered by the survey and of which 
a detailed discussion is found in the preceding pages cover an area 
of 26,408.4 acres as computed in the report of the Baylor survey. 
Of this acreage, 12,790.6 acres lie below the line drawn between 
Deep Creek and Days Point and 13,617.8 acres lie above that line. 
The beds of the former region are available for the production of 
marketable oysters only, the law requiring that all oysters under 3 
inches long be returned to the beds, while the latter region is set 
apart for the production of seed oysters, and the cull law is not appli- 
cable except in so far as it forbids the removal of shells. 

Of the entire area the recent survey shows that 3,227 acres may be 
classed as bearing a dense growth, 2,078 as scattering, 1,848 as very 
scattering, 3,884 as depleted, and 15,371.4 as barren. The barren 
and depleted bottoms together comprise 19,255.4 acres, or about 73 
per cent of the total, and all bottom which can be construed as pro- 
ductive aggregates 7,153 acres, or 27 per cent of the entire bottom 
included within the Baylor lines. Owing to the difference in the pro- 
visions of the law applicable to the two regions and the resultant 
difference in the character of their product, it is necessary to present 
separate summaries of their present condition. 

MARKET OYSTER AREA. 

The beds of this region are shown on chart 1 accompanying this 
report, to which, and to the preceding pages, readers are referred 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



73 



for detailed data. The following table summarizes the extent and 
character of the bottom included within the Baylor lines: 

Summarized Statement op Market Oyster Areas on Public Grounds. 



Name of ground. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Depleted 



Barren. 



Total. 



Nansemond No. 2 

Isle of Wight No. 6 

Nansemond No. 3 

Isle of Wight No. 2 

Isle of Wight No. 3 

Isle of Wight No. 4 

Isle of Wight No. 5 

Warwick No. 1 and No. 2 (below Deep 
Creek) 



Total. 
Per cent... 



Acres. 

> 256 


2(?) 



Acres. 

646 


4 



A cres. 

514 


3 



Acres. 
1,640 



Acres. 
4, 106. i 

33. ( 

16.1 





468 





297 



726 
5.7 



947 
7.4 



1,006 
7.9 



2 
538 



5. 
3,723. 



2,226 
17.4 



S85.6 
61.6 



Acres. 
7,162.8 

55.9 

49.8 



7.1 
5,515.0 



12,790.6 
100.0 



It is estimated that the bottoms embraced by the several grounds, 
classified in accordance with their relative productiveness, have a 
total content of market oysters as follows: 

Summarized Content of Market Oysters on Public Grounds. 



Name of ground. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted 


Total. 




Bushels. 
J28, 468 


Bushels. 
39,087 


Bushels. 
17, 855 


Bushels. 

21,052 

330 
132 


Bushels. 


Isle of Wight No. 6 


106, 462 
330 


Isle of Wight No. 2 


200 


132 


69 


533 


Isle of Wight No. 3 




Isle of Wight No. 4 












Isle of Wight No. 5 








22 
5,847 


22 


Warwick No. 1 and No. 2 (below Deep Creek) 


57,355 


20,306 


21,780 


105,288 




86, 023 

118 

40.3 


59, 525 

63 

28.0 


39, 704 

39 

18.7 


27,383 

12 

13.0 


212, 635 








100 







This table is more or less misleading, as the real factor involved is 
the quantity of oysters which can be profitably removed from the 
beds. It must be obvious that the total quantity lying on the bottom 
can not be regarded as commercially available, for when the density 
of growth is reduced below a more or less definite minimum the value 
of the average catch will fall below a minimum living wage and work 
will cease. The minimum average quantity per unit of bottom which 
will suffice to support commercial operations will depend upon the 
price of oysters and the depth of water. In this report the price is 
placed at 45 cents per bushel, and although it will vary somewhat on 
the different beds and at different times, it is not practicable to make 
distinctions. The price adopted is based on the testimony of a num- 
ber of oystermen as to their returns in recent years. The depth of 
water is a highly variable factor, and as it is of prime importance in 



74 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



computing the availability of the oysters lying on the bottom, its 
variations have been given the fullest possible consideration. For a 
discussion of the general principles on which the quantity of oysters 
available with profit have been determined, the reader is referred to 
preceding pages. For the market oyster beds as a whole the following 
table gives a summary: 

Summary of Available Content of Market Oysters on Public Grounds. 



Name of ground. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Total. 




Bushels. 
| 21,150 


Bushels. 
20, 325 


Bushels. 
1,600 


Bushels. 


Isle of Wight No. 6 '. 


43,075 






Isle of Wight No. 2 


150 


50 




200 


Isle of Wight No. 3 






Isle of Wight No. 4. . . 










Isle of Wight No. 5. 












41,300 


10, 100 


3,550 


54, 950 








62, 600 

86 

63.7 


30, 475 

32 

31.0 


5,150 

5 

5.3 


98, 225 








100.0 







This may be regarded as a maximum estimate of the probable 
yield of the beds during the season of 1909-10. Owing to the low 
basis adopted as a minimum wage the yield may not reach the quan- 
tity indicated, as it is doubtful whether the beds can be profitably 
fished as closely as has been assumed. A yield of $1.35 per full day 
of tonging will leave a very small balance after culling and other 
expenses are deducted, and the beds undoubtedly will be abandoned 
for the season before this degree of depletion has been reached. " For 
this reason the only parts of the natural rock which can be classed as 
really productive are those designated as dense and scattering, which 
furnish, according to the foregoing estimates, about 95 per cent of the 
available product while constituting only about 13 per cent of the 
total area of the public grounds under consideration. 

Taken as a whole, though there are exceptions noted in the pre- 
ceding accounts of the individual rocks, the areas covered with very 
scattering growths are of but little present value, their total esti- 
mated available product during the present season being valued at 
less than $2,500, or about $2.50 per acre. There is, however, another 
phase to the question which has been touched on in the more de- 
tailed accounts of the individual rocks. This is the possibility of 
future improvement, and is dependent upon the existing quantity 
of young oysters and the presence of an ample supply of clean shells 
to serve as places of attachment for future generations of young. 
The quantity of young oysters less than 3 inches long on the public 
grounds under discussion at the opening of the present oyster season 
was as follows: 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 
Summarized Content op Young Oysters on Public Grounds. 



75 



Name of ground. 


Dense. 


Scatter- 
ing. 


Very scat- 
tering. 


Depleted. 


Total. 




Bushels. 
} 31,818 


Bushels. 
86, 050 


Bushels. 
26, 854 


Bushels. 

57, 038 

50 
2,500 


Bushels. 


Isle of Wight No. 6 


201, 760 




50 


Isle of Wight No. 2 ' 


250 


500 




3,250 


Isle of Wight No. 3 






Isle of Wight No. 4 












Isle of Wight No. 5 












Isle of Wight No. 6... 












Warwick No. 1 and No. 2 (below Deep Creek) 


121, 774 


53, 287 


58, 353 


19, 002 


252, 416 


Total 


153, 842 
212 
33.7 


139, 837 

148 

30.6 


85, 207 

84 

18.6 


78, 590 

35 

17.1 


457, 476 








100.0 







Here again is evidence that the areas of dense and scattering 
growth should be regarded as not only at present but prospectively 
productive beds. In quantity, and to a greater extent numerically, 
the young are considerably in excess of the market oysters, and, as in 
both classes of bottom under consideration the latter are sufficient to 
render the bottom undoubtedly at present productive, the abun- 
dance of young is sufficient to continue productiveness, under proper 
regulations as to culling, for at least two years. After the lapse of 
that period the condition will depend upon the extent of the strike, 
and other factors concerning which nothing can be predicted. 

So far as the areas covered with a very scattering growth are 
concerned closer scrutiny is required. As these bottoms are on the 
verge of depletion in respect to market oysters, the proportion of 
young to large oysters should be greater to insure that the conditions 
will improve in the future. 

The writer is not in possession of definite experimental data appli- 
cable specifically to the James River, but from a knowledge of con- 
ditions in other parts of the Chesapeake region he feels justified in 
assuming that oysters as an average will become fit for market in 
from two to three years from the time of fixation or setting. If 
experience elsewhere be a guide, some oysters will grow more rapidly 
and some less rapidly; but two years may be adopted, with very 
little question, as an irreducible minimum for the average age at 
which they can be advantageously put on the market. On this 
assumption and neglecting, for the time being, the question of mor- 
tality, it is at once apparent that to maintain the present status 
there must be two small oysters for each market oyster killed or 
caught. 

There is no way to determine, without long and painstaking obser- 
vations, the actual average mortality at various ages on the natural 
rocks of James River. The experience of planters of seed oysters is 
valueless in this connection, being based on oysters handled and 



76 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



otherwise subjected to abnormal conditions. The various locations 
of the natural-bed oysters and the consequently variable conditions 
to which they are exposed introduce a factor for which it is difficult 
to make allowances, and it seems impossible to do more than hazard 
a guess as to the proportion of young oysters now on the beds which 
will die before becoming marketable. It is probable that it will be 
somewhere between 25 and 50 per cent. Considering the size of 
young oysters found by the survey, the mortality may be less than 
the former and excepting under unfavorable conditions can hardly 
be greater than the latter. Assuming that 25 per cent of the young 
now on the beds will die before reaching a marketable size, there 
should be on the beds, in order to maintain their present condition, 
2.66 young for each marketable oyster removed. If the loss be 
assumed at 50 per cent there should be 4 young per market oyster. 
The following table exhibits the actual average numerical propor- 
tion of young oysters to marketable found on the several beds: 

Numerical Proportion op Young Growth and Market Oysters in the Market- 
Oyster Area on Bottoms Bearing Very Scattering Growth. 



Name of rock. 


Oysters 

less than 

1 inch 

long. 


Oysters 
between 
land 3 
inches. 


Total. 




0.42 
.62 
.50 
.55 
.69 

1.81 
.55 
.27 

1.11 
.06 

3.50 
.66 
.80 
.19 
.63 
.21 
.35 
.87 


1.82 
3.29 
5.27 
3.83 
2.58 
2.47 
6.81 
1.13 
1.94 
.00 
11.40 
8.00 
4.00 
4.28 
8.27 
4.06 
4.56 
5.36 


2.24 




3.91 




5.77 




4.38 




3.27 


High Shoal 


4.28 


Trout Shoal 


7.36 


Dos Shoal 


1.40 




3.05 




.06 




14.90 




8.66 




4.80 


Gun 


4.47 




8.90 




4.27 


Blunt Poin t 


4.91 


White Shoal 


6.23 








.76 


4.39 


5.15 







It will be observed that, on the assumption of the smaller death 
rate, Nansemond Ridge, Dog Shoal, and the small beds near Ballards 
Marsh are the only rocks which appear to lack sufficient young 
growth on the very scattering areas to maintain them in their present 
condition. Assuming the higher rate of mortality, Drum Shoal, the 
small bed near Flat Rock, and Fishing Point Rocks must be added to 
the list, though when we consider that many of the market oysters 
now on the bottom can not be taken with profit, it would appear 
that even these rocks are capable of improving under a rigid observ- 
ance of the cull law. The other rocks, under either assumption 
as to mortality, probably bear a sufficient number of young to 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



77 



maintain their present condition or to cause slight improvement in 
their productiveness, and the real question at issue largely resolves 
itself into a matter of their present productiveness, which has been 
already discussed. Most of these bottoms are sufficiently clothed 
with shells to insure their share of a good strike. The depleted areas, 
excepting in the places specifically mentioned in the descriptions of 
the individual rocks, may be regarded as hopeless of recuperation 
under natural conditions. 

The barren bottoms, which preceding tables show to constitute a 
very large proportion of the areas of the public beds, are in many 
cases so situated as to be of necessity and for practical considerations 
impossible of separation from the natural beds without injury to the 
future of the latter or without due regard to the question of policing 
and administration. There are, however, certain large areas readily 
separable from the public grounds, and the latter would suffer prac- 
tically no diminution in really productive bottom as a result of the 
severance. 

SEED-OYSTER AREA. 

This region lies above the line drawn between Deep Creek and 
Days Point, and is shown on chart 2 accompanying this report. The 
following table summarizes the extent and condition of the bottoms 
of different degrees of productiveness included within this part of the 
Baylor survey: 

Summarized Statement of Oyster Growth on Seed Areas. 



Name of ground. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Depleted, 



Barren. 



Total. 



Warwick No. 1 (above Deep Creek) 
Isle of Wight No. 1 

Total 

Per cent 



A cres. 

2,420 

81 



Acres. 
1,131 




Acres. 
834 



Acres. 
1,611 
47 



Acres. 
6,896.8 
5S9.0 



2,501 
18.4 



1,131 
8.3 



842 
6.2 



1, 658 
12.2 



7,485.8 
54.9 



Acres. 
12,892.8 
725. 



13, 617. 8 
100.0 



The following table furnishes an estimate of the total content of 
seed oysters present on the bottoms of varying productiveness at the 
beginning of the oyster season on September 15, 1909: 

Summarized Content op Oysters on Seed Areas. 



Name of ground. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Depleted, 



Total. 



Warwick No. 1 (above Deep Creek) 
Isle of Wight No. 1 

Total 

Average per acre 

Per cent 



Bushels. 

668, 540 

11,444 



Bushels. 
104.987 



Bushels. 

61, 607 

311 



Bushels. 

21,803 

778 



Bushels. 

856,937 

12,533 



679, 984 
272 
78.2 



104,987 

93 

12.1 



61,918 
73 
7.1 



22,581 

13 

2.6 



869,470 



78 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 



A considerable proportion of these oysters could not be profitably 
removed from the beds, being either too sparsely distributed in the 
first place or constituting a necessary remnant which would become 
too scattered after tonging had been carried on for a period on bot- 
toms of greater initial productiveness. To show the estimated 
maximum possible yield of the beds during the present season the 
following table has been prepared, covering the entire area of seed 
beds in the James River: 

Summary op Available Content of Oysters on Seed Areas. 



Name of ground. 



Dense. 



Scatter- 
ing. 



Very scat- 
tering. 



Total. 



Warwick No. 1 (above Deep Creek) 
Isle of Wight No. 1 

Total 

Average per acre 

Per cent 



Bushels. 

569, 100 

9,000 



Bushels. 
59,900 



Bushels. 

21,500 

70 



Bushels. 
050, 500 
9,070 



578, 100 

232 

87.7 



59,900 

53 

9.1 



21,570 
25 
3.2 



059, 570 

'"ioo.6 



In preparing the data on which this table is based it has been as- 
sumed that the seed will bring 30 cents per bushel and that no bottom 
can be considered productive when its yield is reduced below 4 bushels 
per day of actual tonging, excluding the time occupied in culling. 
As in the preceding pages of this report, the probable yield is based 
on the density of the oyster growth and the depth of water on the 
several parts of each bed. 

Although the data employed differs somewhat from that used in 
the discussion of the bottoms below Deep Creek, owing to the lower 
price brought by seed as compared with market oysters, the financial 
return to the tonger from the bottoms designated as respectively 
dense, scattering, and very scattering is essentially the same. The 
minimum yield assumed to place a given area above the grade of 
depleted bottom is valued at $1.20 per day at. the prices recently pre- 
vailing, and this can not be regarded as other than an extreme mini- 
mum, because, when the number of idle days is taken into considera- 
tion, a tonger could not afford to work for such low wages. The 
limit is justifiable only in consideration of the fact that before the 
dense and scattering areas are reduced to a level so low they will have 
yielded to the tonger an average daily wage much in excess of this. 

If the price of oysters falls below 30 cents per bushel, it will not be 
profitable to work the beds so closely as was contemplated in the 
preparation of the above table. At the prices reported as current 
on the James River in November, 1909, namely, 20 cents per bushel 
for seed, the estimated catch on the area of very scattering growth 
may be eliminated, that on the scattering bottom reduced by at least 
50 per cent and on the dense areas by about 15 per cent, lowering the 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 79 

total estimated cateh to about 500,000 bushels as a maximum which 
could be taken with profit. 

As was the case with the market-oyster beds, the areas described 
as bearing dense and scattering growths may be dismissed from further 
discussion as being at present productive. The areas bearing a very 
scattering growth are debatable, with seed oysters selling at 30 cents 
per bushel, but would be undoubtedly entirely neglected by the 
tongers were the price to fall to 20 cents. Their estimated yield at 
the former price is about $7.50 per acre, and from the entire area of 
842 acres the total product during the present season would not ex- 
ceed in value $6,500, even if the tongers were willing to work for an 
average of about $1 per day, exclusive of the time lost through bad 
weather. 

The future of these areas of very scattering growth is difficult 
to forecast. When, as in the area under discussion, there is not 
and from the nature of the case should not be any application of 
the cull law, there is no young growth which can be pointed to as 
coming forward to replace the larger oysters removed. Young 
and old alike are taken and the only oysters left are the residuum 
which it is unprofitable to take. In other words, the annual increment 
is taken or may be taken in the months immediately following its 
deposit. The health and perpetuity of the beds depend upon the 
quantity of clean shells exposed on the bottom ready for the strike 
which each season may produce. Over the very scattering bottoms 
of this part of James River there is a fair quantity of shells and under 
the proper conditions these areas may become more productive. 

The depleted bottoms, as a whole, have neither present nor pro- 
spective value under natural conditions, though the bottom is generally 
of such character that if it were feasible to rent it for purposes of 
oyster culture it could be made highly productive. Much of it is 
so situated, however, that it is debatable whether, for reasons of 
administration, it would be advisable to alienate it from the public 
grounds. An inspection of the charts will show that, excepting 
along the shores, these bottoms are generally in the midst of produc- 
tive areas. Concerning the great area of barren bottoms the same 
statement holds true in part, a considerable proportion of it lying 
in the channels and deeper holes between the beds or in other situa- 
tions which would make it difficult to delimit it from the public 
grounds in a manner to facilitate the policing of the public rocks; 
and prevent abuses which experience shows would undoubtedly be 
attempted. 

There are, however, certain areas in considerable blocks which 
could be set apart for purposes of oyster culture without materially 
reducing the area of the natural rocks included in the public grounds. 
These places can be determined by an inspection of the chart. 
20201—10 6 



80 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

CONCLUSION. 

The foregoing gives, in detail and summary, the facts as to the con- 
dition of the oyster beds of James and Nansemond rivers immedi- 
ately prior to the opening of the present oyster season, the period 
at which the beds are at their maximum apparent productiveness. 
Within a few weeks, under the intensive fishery which they sustain, 
the quantity of oysters on the beds will be vastly reduced and long 
before the close of the season they will become so impaired that work 
on them will be practically abandoned for the time being. In other 
words, it is for a part of the season only that these beds will offer a 
livelihood to the tongers, who for the rest of the year must seek a 
living either in the employ of the oyster grower or in some other 
occupation not connected with oyster fishing. 

In the determination of the nature of tidal bottoms, with respect 
to their being regarded as oyster rock or barren bottom, the prime 
consideration is whether they will afford, either at present or pro- 
spectively, a sufficient quantity of oysters to provide a livelihood to 
those who work on them. It is manifest that a few oysters which 
could never be taken with profit should not entitle the bottom on 
which they lie to be regarded as an oyster bed within the meaning 
of the laws. To so regard them would be contrary to common sense, 
economic principles, and judicial decisions. 

The author has avoided a definition of what constitutes a liveli- 
hood, believing that to be a matter which is more properly for deter- 
mination by the state authorities should its definition become 
necessary for purposes of legislation or administration. In the 
preparation of the foregoing report, however, it has been necessary 
to adopt some standard for the classification of the various densities 
of oyster growth in the several beds, and for purposes of convenience 
the limit between the bottoms regarded as depleted and those of the 
lowest class of productiveness has been placed at a minimum believed 
to be reasonably irreducible. The subdivisions of productiveness 
differ by such small quantities that should it appear that the lowest 
is too low the next higher can be regarded as the minimum without 
impairing the value of the data adduced in the report, though, as is 
elsewhere indicated, this would dictate a reduction in the estimated 
total available product of oysters for the season. 

Under the terms of the resolution of the State Board of Fisheries, 
which was made the basis of the request for the survey preferred to 
the Bureau of Fisheries by the Governor of Virginia, the author is 
not warranted in offering recommendations as to the use which 
might be made of the facts developed in the preceding pages. It may 
not be inappropriate, however, to point out the several avenues of 
procedure which it is possible to follow in respect to the oyster 



OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 81 

bottoms of the region discussed. These resolve themselves into 
three: (1) The maintenance of the integrity of the public grounds 
as now constituted; (2) their abolition in toto; and (3) a middle 
course which will preserve to the public the productive bottoms 
practically in their entirety while throwing open to oyster planting 
a large part of the barren and unproductive bottom now included 
within the public grounds. The principal arguments for and against 
these propositions may be epitomized as follows: 

1 . The first course — that the beds be retained in the present status— 
hardly needs discussion. It has been tried and its results are known, 
largely as the effect of the acrimonious disputes to which it has given 
rise. The matters of fact which have been at issue in these inter- 
minable discussions, as to whether or not the public grounds embraced 
any considerable area of barren bottom, have been dealt with in the 
preceding pages and speak for themselves. It should be pointed 
out, however, that while the barren area is shown to constitute a 
considerable proportion of the whole bottom, much of it is so related 
to the productive bottom that it could not be eliminated under any 
scheme permitting of practical administration. 

2. The second alternative — the total abolition of the public grounds 
and its corollary, the opening of the whole area for leasing — is drastic. 
On broad economic grounds the proposition is as logical and legiti- 
mate as the sale of public timber land or the breaking up of the 
great public ranges of the West into holdings in severalty, and, as 
the oyster is sessile, it has nothing in common with an alienation of 
the common fishery for nomadic species. The law has already 
recognized that under conditions an oyster in situ may be property, 
while a wandering fish can not become such until caught. The 
breaking up of the public grounds into leaseholds under private 
control would increase their productiveness precisely as the breaking 
up of the common ranges of the West has resulted in economic effi- 
ciency and greater productiveness. This course would, furthermore, 
yield a return to the State, where there is now a net outlay for 
policing the public grounds, though this aspect of the -matter is one 
which should always be held subservient to the major consideration — 
the welfare and prosperity of the citizen. 

On the other side of the question it is necessary to consider the 
effect of so drastic an innovation upon the welfare of a large body 
of persons -whose livelihood in part is at present dependent upon 
the situation to which the policy of the State has given the aspect 
of presumed permanency. Immediately upon the alienation of the 
public beds the men engaged on them for part of the season are, 
for the time being, forced from the category of independent workers 
into that of employees, unless they themselves elect to take up 



82 OYSTER BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 

bottoms in severalty. The value of this objection is mainly senti- 
mental, but is not less real on that account. 

3. The third course mentioned, the retention of the actually pro- 
ductive bottom for the use of the public and the opening of all barren 
bottom practicable for leasehold from the State, is essentially a 
compromise between the other two and presents fewer difficulties 
than either. The valid objections to it are mainly concerned with 
administration. By retaining the present natural beds intact the 
tongers would be left in possession of everything of value to which 
they now have access, while the opening of the barren bottoms for 
lease would make productive considerable acres now valueless to all. 
The tongers would still have the option of independent work on the 
natural rocks; they would have increased opportunities of employ- 
ment by the planters; and some of them could themselves lease 
bottoms for their own use. In every way it would appear to be 
economically advantageous to the industry and the State. 

In considering the subject, however, it should be borne in mind 
that, while this report shows a preponderance of barren bottom 
within the public grounds, much of it, owing to its location, is prac- 
tically incapable of separation from the natural rocks. An inspec- 
tion of the chart will show that many of the barren bottoms are 
between or in the midst of naturally productive bottoms. To 
exclude them would make necessary an undue multiplication of the 
public grounds, with an attendant difficulty in policing. 

Effectually to prevent depredations on the natural rocks under 
the guise of work on adjoining planted grounds, which is a diffi- 
culty with which the oyster police will have to contend, the public 
areas should be as few and as compact as possible, and the boundary 
lines should be straight and easily denned. For this reason the 
public grounds to be established must, for very practical considera- 
tions, necessarily include a considerable proportion of barren bottom. 
Any readjustment of the lines of the Baylor survey should be based 
on reasonable compromise and adopted only after careful considera- 
tion by the State. It is believed that the foregoing descriptions and 
the accompanying charts will furnish a reliable basis for a revision, 
should the State deem it wise to undertake it. 



OYSTEE BEDS OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA. 83 

DESCRIPTION OF CHARTS. 

The public grounds are platted from the published sheets of the Baylor survey, and 
their boundaries are shown in broken black lines. 

The depths, which are expressed in feet as referred to mean low water and the 
symbols designating the consistency of the bottom, are the characteristics selected 
from a large number of observations. The oyster beds are included within solid red 
lines, and the density of the oyster growth is indicated by the relative intensity of 
the shading, and is based on the quantity of culled oysters which can be taken by a 
tonger working nine hours per day, not including the time occupied in culling. 

Chart 1 covers the area from which market oysters only may be removed, and the 
bases of the classifications of oyster growth are as follows: Dense, yielding over 8 
bushels of market oysters per day's tonging; scattering, between 5 and 8 bushels; 
very scattering, between 3 and 5 bushels; depleted, under 3 bushels. 

Chart 2 embraces the beds of the upper part of James River, on which the cull law 
is inoperative so far as it pertains to the size of the oysters, and which are therefore 
devoted to the production of seed oysters for replanting. The classification is as 
follows: Dense, yielding over 12 bushels of seed oysters per day's tonging; scattering, 
between 8 and 12 bushels; very scattering, between 4 and 8 bushels; depleted, under 
4 bushels. 

The unshaded areas within the boundaries of the public beds as charted represent 
barren bottom. 

o 



LBJM2 



Chart I, 




I 



Chart 2, 




